In this commentary we first examine psychometric issues in the ambitious enterprise of cross-cultural application of the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA). The present reports span a wide range of cultural places. Overall, the PBA presents good face validity and a strong replication of factor structure; future multi-group confirmatory factor…

This paper reflects on the work done at a large UK university to redesign assessment procedures in a way that was intended to contribute to an improvement in assessment literacy for staff. Existing practice was reviewed and showed that changes in assessment processes were needed to make the organization of assessment more consistent and more…

The REL Mid-Atlantic Webinar discussed the elements in a positive school climate and shared different methods for assessing school data, including the Comprehensive School Climate Inventory. The Q&A presented in this document address the questions participants had for Dr. Cohen following the webinar. The webinar recording and PowerPoint…

A Newbery award sets the standard for aspiring children's book writers, provides talented authors with a steady stream of income, and enables editors to pursue their own publishing visions. Over the years, Newbery medalists have often been the first choice of parents and educators in search of trustworthy titles. However, a lot of people are…

Theoretically and methodologically critiques LaPiere's seminal research into attitude-behavior relationship. Asserts that actual discrepancy uncovered was between true attitude (tendency to act in certain way) and that which is measured by attitude questionnaire. LaPiere's primary concern was to point out danger of assuming that…

Comments on the article by B. Gawronski and G. V. Bodenhausen (see record 2006-10465-003). A metacognitive model (MCM) is presented to describe how automatic (implicit) and deliberative (explicit) measures of attitudes respond to change attempts. The model assumes that contemporary implicit measures tap quick evaluative associations, whereas…

A recent paper by Yilmaz, Boone, and Andersen (2004) is criticized on four grounds. First, the paper does not have adequate definitions of "urban" and "sub"urban". Second, the interpretation of these terms for Ankara does not reveal the particular socio-economic circumstances existing there. Third, no clear grounds are…

Presents guidelines about how to conduct a public opinion poll and discusses such specific areas as the sample, the questionnaire, the interviewers, and the poll report. (DF)

Some of the world's most profound environmental changes are under way in China. Studying the underlying forces of environment-related behaviors at all levels in China is therefore extraordinarily important. This essay helps people outside China increase their understanding of these variables by summarizing findings of Chinese-language surveys…

The annual Gallup "Attitudes to Education" Poll provides a good example of a situation in which a composite education system indicator can be developed. The Laspeyres formula is recommended for this purpose, as well as for analyzing and reporting a number of educational research results in general. (RL)

Presented are some concerns regarding the relationship between science education and environmental education. Semantic problems, inadequate literature reporting efforts in the field, and the feeling that science education is the vehicle for environmental education are discussed and recommendations made for research and curriculum development. (CS)

Makes a case for attending to developments in the study of attitude. Considers how the attitude construct has been conceptualized. Examines contemporary thinking about attitudes and draws out implications of that thinking for the study of persuasion. (RS)

Students assessed as having different personality types were queried concerning their perspectives on peace. Two hundred seventy-five students (ages 14-18) from Poland, West Germany, and the United States defined peace and indicated the degree of influence they felt they have on the future. Differences in definitions of peace, optimism, and degree…

The results of the social behavior inventory which was administered to Anglo-American and Latvian American children showed that both groups chose answers in the cooperative direction, but that the Latvian sample was somewhat more competitive in nature than the American. (PJM)

Discusses language planning on the Spanish Balearic isle of Mallorca where Catalan is also a native language, focusing on the sociolinguistic situation in the capital city of Palma. Explores differences between answers to questionnaires and responses to a matched guise experiment. (Author/VWL)