Musical training has long been viewed as a model for experience-dependent brain plasticity. Reports of musical training-induced brain plasticity are largely based on cross-sectional studies comparing musicians to non-musicians, which cannot address whether musical training itself is sufficient to induce these neurobiological changes or whether…

This study examined Carroll's Model of School Learning (MSL) on adult basic education (ABE). The study's central question was, "Does Carroll's MSL account for additional variance in TABE 11 or 12 scores beyond instructional time after controlling for age?" A non-experimental cross-sectional design was employed to explore the fiscal year…

The main purpose of this study is to explore the predictors of programming achievement. With this aim in mind, the students' success in the programming courses is specified as the dependent variable and creativity, problem solving, general aptitudes, computer attitudes and mathematics achievement are specified as the independent variables. A…

The Joreskog and Sorbom LISREL (linear structural relations) method is investigated as an alternative to regression analysis in studies of aptitude-treatment interactions (ATI), to solve problems caused by unreliability of measurements and by large sets of variables. A study reported by M.J. Behr is reanalyzed. This study investigated relations…

While the constructs of aptitude and achievement, which are defined as genotypic and environmental constructs, are potentially useful in psychological theory and in the development of predictors, the use of these terms for psychological tests is highly misleading. Implications of this position for group differences in aptitude and construct…

A study was done to determine the relationships between the revised Occupation Analysis Inventory (OAI) work-dimension scores and job ability-requirement estimates and the ability test scores of job incumbents and graduate trainees in related vocational/technical education programs. (The OAI is an instrument containing 622 work elements which are…

The purpose of this project was to derive information relating student aptitudes to the accomplishment of specific performance objectives in an identified time frame within selected occupational training programs. Answers to the following questions were sought: What tasks within a given occupation can be performed by educationally disadvantaged…

Three experimental psychological tests were investigated to determine if they added significantly to the prediction of eight drug abuse criteria when combined with a basic predictor set consisting of background variables only. Of the four tests investigated, only one, the Life Values Questionnaire appeared to add any significant unique variance to…

This study was conducted to examine the extent to which one's demographic characteristics, previous experience, aptitudes, and attitudes may be indicative of probable success in learning about computers. Information was derived from two National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded programs designed to retrain experienced teachers to become K-12…

In this study we examined the role of anxiety on novices' performance on the psychomotor task of rifle marksmanship. The stages-of-skill-development model suggests that aptitude influences performance while learning a skill; however, the model does not address the role of affect. Assessments for state anxiety and state worry were administered to…

An unsuccessful attempt to develop a standard battery of aptitude measures to distinguish practicing dentists is reinterpreted. A sample of 116 dentists showed few differences from the norm group on 22 potential predictors, with some differences counterintuitive. It is concluded that broad conceptualization of characteristics required to complete…

The objective of this study was to identify those cognitive characteristics that best differentiate the Navy's Basic Electricity and Electronics (BE/E) Preparatory School graduates and failures. Subjects included 207 BE/E students--172 graduates and 35 failures. Before these trainees had commenced BE/E School, they were administered six tests of…

Four-hundred and nine students (grades 8, 10, 12 and 14) were given logical syllogism problems of the form "If p...then q" along with tests of dogmatism and intolerance of ambiguity. Aptitude scores were also obtained. Major results indicated that expressed dogmatism and intolerance of ambiguity were negatively correlated with syllogistic…

Research syntheses of individual bivariate studies of the effects of specific predictor variables on student outcomes are considered. Walberg's nine-factor model of educational productivity is used to organize the syntheses and to identify aptitudinal, instructional, and environmental variables linked with student achievement and learning. (TJH)