Patterns of student performance were examined in a personalized instruction (PSI) course. Introductory psychology students (N=65) were randomly divided into a completely self-paced group and a group that had an early, instructor-imposed deadline. It was hypothesized that the early deadline group would respond at a more even pace throughout the…

The psychological (expectancy) and physiological (dosage) effects of alcohol on aggressive and assertive behavior were investigated. The expectancy manipulation was accomplished by informing subjects that the beer they were to receive was either half as strong or twice as strong as commercially available beer. The dosage manipulation involved…

Two types of self-blame were investigated: characterological self-blame, corresponding to the popular negative view of self-blame; and behavioral self-blame, representing a positive attempt to reestablish a belief in control. Results of a questionnaire completed by rape crisis centers located across the country attest to the pervasiveness of…

Defines normalization and deviations in child development. Discusses the three different levels in the normalization process. Asserts that guiding the process of normalization should drive the practice of Montessori education. Concludes that whenever there are brief episodes of normalization, the true nature of the child shows itself. (JS)

Peer modeling as a non-punitive disciplinary technique was examined in two studies assessing its effectiveness in increasing self-control of young children in the absence of an authority figure. The first study investigated the effect of observing the rule-following behavior of a peer model on the observing child's subsequent self-control.…

Cheating behavior has been found to relate to emotion-attribution explanations. Prior research with second-grade children has indicated that increased self-control occurs in a watching task when the child's emotional response is attributed to internal rather than external actions. In the present study, freshman women (N=221) took a reading…

For many years researchers have investigated the relationship between alcohol consumption and human aggression. A "policy-capturing" methodology was used to determine how judgments of responsibility for aggressive behavior are influenced by information about a person's alcohol consumption, sex, and degree of injury to a victim. Male subjects (N=8)…

Some of the unique characteristics of the drug abuse field which distinguish it from the other varieties of substance abuse and research methodologies for studying determinants of drug self-administration behavior which have been developed in response to these characteristics were investigated. Data suggest that residential drug…

This paper presents four studies which illustrate the variety of deficits in executive function displayed by individuals with autism. The concept of executive function is used to encompass all the mental operations which are involved in self-reflective and goal-directed behavior. Four forms of executive control are addressed: mental disengagement,…

Bulimia, an eating disorder characterized by binge eating, may be increasing in frequency. In order to examine and assess: (1) the prevalence of bulimia in a non-clinical sample of college women; (2) the relationship of reports of binge eating to the fulfillment of operationalized Diagnostic and Statistical Manual III (DSM III) criteria for…

Although the augmental value of exercise to behavioral weight control programs has been suggested, demonstration of this value is dependent upon an assessment of adherence to change in eating habits and activity patterns. Self-report measures of adherence were obtained from overweight college women undergoing treatment that involved either dietary…

In this study, teachers' control behavior, classroom climate, and student self-control were investigated. Differences between urban public and military high schools concerning these variables were also examined. Participants were 102 high school students from an urban public school and 94 students from an urban 4-year military high school. The…

The effects of a training manual designed to decrease dating discomfort and increase social skills were investigated. Males (n=22) who saw themselves as socially anxious and lacking in social and dating skills volunteered to take part in a program designed to increase dating frequency, communication skills, and comfort in male-female interactions.…

The hypothesis that negative emotional life states accompanying life stresses are associated with overeating and weight gain cannot be adequately tested solely by laboratory analogue studies. Naturalistic, short-term longitudinal designs are needed in which individuals susceptible to mood eating can be identified prior to a stressful event and…

Adaptation to college by first year university students (N=71), who were exposed to orientation programs which varied the amount of perceived competence and perceived control felt by the student in interpersonal problem situations, was investigated. Skills taught in the four treatment conditions were the basics of assertive behavior,…