Over the past 2 decades, scholars in various educational contexts have examined Bandura's theorizing about how self-efficacy develops. Bandura proposed 4 primary informational sources of self-efficacy--enactive experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasions, and physiological and affective states--each of which can be supported in…

Time factors complexly, dynamically interact with each other and with other contextualized variables in language learning. The time-tied nature of language learning is captured in what I call the "time-prism," which is the central symbol of temporality in this paper. The facets of the prism discussed in this article are (1) language…

This article tells the story of an attempt to bring about major educational reform of the curriculum and educational values in Kazakhstan, using action research as part of that process. The article begins with a brief and selective review of the literature on aspects of emotion and moves to an account of the context and history of the reforms,…

The most problematic issues that characterize western society is the crisis of the subject and the difficulties of interpersonal relationships, leading to situations of deep distress and increasing the fragility of human beings. This behavior of the contemporary man also depends on flexibility rules in all areas of society and particularly inside…

Thanatologists, as Balk recently commented (Balk, 2004), have been saying that there is no recovery from bereavement, or that we should not speak of bereavement as leading to a recovery. The term recovery has a high level of plasticity and can be shaped to fit diverse meanings, including contradictory meanings. We will sort our way through some of…

Sociocultural theory is increasingly popular as a paradigm for research in education. A recent member in this family of theories is introduced--cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT)--that shows much promise to complement and invigorate the field of educational change, a large, multi-faceted, and persistent problematic. In particular,…

Identity is an important concept to consider when describing human development. To date, relatively few articles have addressed file application of identity theory, especially that concerned with the social construction, to stuttering. This article examines why the construction of a positive identity may be difficult due to the negative effect of…

Knowledge about cocaine's effect on the human mind and body is limited and not clearly documented. This article discusses various biological and psychological effects of the drug based on clinical and laboratory studies of man. (Author/DF)

The suggestopedic model of accelerated learning as developed by Lozanov is referred to by him as a set of attitudes inherent to sociocultural behavior common to the Soviet Bloc countries. The theoretical base accounts for a built-in obedience reflex, acceptance of authority, lack of competitiveness, promotion of collective growth, and a…

Describes a technique for teaching the concept of unintentional racism in an introductory psychology course. A case study is followed by a lecture and class discussion on the nature of racism. Strategies for discussions and student responses to the unit are outlined. Presents evidence suggesting the benefits of this activity. (MJP)

Reviews literature on the functional psychological consequences of computerization. Maintains that, while computational tasks are turned over to the computer, individuals retain traditional skills, knowledge, and attitudes. Includes three graphic figures illustrating the transformation of mental processes. (CFR)

Presents a look at individual responsibility and decision making (here defined as planfulness) and how it is affected by external factors of social and economic turmoil. Utilizes data from a longitudinal study of privileged men born between 1904 and 1917 and their educational attainment in subsequent years. (MJP)

Proceedings of the 1981 International Women Student Conference, which disseminated information about the unique needs of international women students, are presented. Contents include the following: "The Role of the Educated Woman: Views from North Africa and the Middle East," Leila Fawaz; "The Role of Educated Women in…

Context is vitally important for urban adult education because it tends to create physical, psychological, and sociocultural distance between and among learners and various providers of adult and continuing education programs, thereby creating barriers and the differential provision of adult learning opportunities for some urban populations.