People sometimes commit 'egocentric errors', failing to ignore their own perspective when interpreting others' communication. Training imitation-inhibition, when participants perform the opposite action from another person, facilitates subsequent perspective-taking in adults. This study tested whether imitation-inhibition training also facilitates…

Minority and majority elementary school students from a Native American reservation (N = 188; K-fifth grade; 5- to 10-year-olds) completed tests of academic self-concepts and self-esteem. School grades, attendance, and classroom behavior were collected. Both minority and majority students exhibited positive self-esteem. Minority students…

This study investigates the relation between religious group identification and ethnic and national identity among Moroccan-Dutch Muslim adolescents (11-18 years) and their parents (n = 369). Compared to their parents, adolescents showed higher national identification and lower religious and ethnic group identification. However, for adolescents…

The present study explored how relationships with natural mentors may contribute to African American adolescents' long-term educational attainment by influencing adolescents' racial identity and academic beliefs. This study included 541 academically at-risk African American adolescents transitioning into adulthood. The mean age of participants at…

Relations among maternal depression, child attachment, and children's representations of parents and self were examined. Participants included toddlers and their mothers with a history of major depressive disorder (n=63) or no history of mental disorder (n=68). Attachment was assessed at 20 and 36 months and representations of parents and self…

This multimethod-multitrait study compared facets of self-concept defined by subscale labels in the Sears Self-Concept Inventory, the Gordon How I See Myself Scale, and the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale. A total of 103 subjects in grades 3 through 6 participated. (JMB)

Results of cross-cultural comparisons of verbal responses indicate that social desirability has a higher value for Indian adolescents and activity has a greater value for American adolescents. Greater sex differences in self-perception occurred for Americans, and greater cultural differences for boys. (WY)

Two experiments examined 12- and 17-year-olds' active selection of quality of feedback they wished from peers. Findings indicated that participants with positive self-perceptions sought feedback that was more positive than participants with negative self-perceptions and sought more positive feedback than expected by chance. Participants with…

Two studies examined whether 4- to 8-year olds use social comparison (SC) for self-appraisal before temporal comparison (TC). Found that even 4-year olds rated themselves higher after doing better versus worse than another person and explained their ratings in terms of SC. Children in TC conditions attended only to their last outcomes; comparisons…

This study examined cultural differences and similarities in socialization during free play and a waiting task among Japanese mothers and their preschoolers temporarily residing in the United States and U.S. mothers and their preschoolers. Findings suggest an emphasis on autonomy among U.S. dyads and an emphasis on relatedness among Japanese…

Examined personal storytelling of European-American preschoolers from working- or middle-class families as a medium through which they construct autonomous selves. Found that children in both communities had extensive rights to speak of past experiences and limited rights to author experiences. Middle-class communities viewed expressing one's view…

Two studies examined concepts of personal autonomy and social roles among persons in different types of cultures. Found that Druze subjects attributed more power than Jewish subjects to males over females, but concepts of personal entitlements were prominent in both groups. Overall, findings indicated that social reasoning is heterogeneous in…

Evaluated a path model of teacher expectancy effects in 376 first- through fifth-grade urban children. Found that classroom environment and developmental differences moderated the strength of teacher expectancy effects on students' year-end achievement. Results suggested that teacher expectations may tend to magnify achievement differences in the…

Compared attitudes of children in child-centered preschools and kindergartens with those of children in didactic, highly academic programs in terms achievement and motivation. Compared to children in child-centered programs, children in didactic programs rated their abilities significantly lower, had lower expectations for success on academic…