Two experiments tested how the "functional form" of the causal relations that link features of categories affects category-based inferences. Whereas "independent causes" can each bring about an effect by themselves, "conjunctive causes" all need to be present for an effect to occur. The causal model view of category…

Children's social-emotional skills, such as conflict resolution and emotion regulation, have been linked to a number of highly regarded academic and social outcomes. The current study presents preliminary results from a causal test of the theory of change of RULER, a universal school-based approach to social and emotional learning (SEL).…

This study evaluated the effectiveness of an intervention for second graders at risk for academic failure, which taught reading comprehension embedded in social studies content. The intervention included instruction about the structure of cause/effect expository text, emphasizing clue words, generic questions, graphic organizers, and close…

Missing data, especially when coupled with noncompliance, are a challenge even in the setting of randomized experiments. Although some existing methods can address each complication, it can be difficult to handle both of them simultaneously. This is true in the example of the New York City School Choice Scholarship Program, where both the…

Research has documented two effects of interfeature causal knowledge on classification. A "causal status effect" occurs when features that are causes are more important to category membership than their effects. A "coherence effect" occurs when combinations of features that are consistent with causal laws provide additional…

An approach to handle partial compliance behavior using principal stratification is presented and applied to a subset of the longitudinal data from the New York City School Choice Scholarship Program, a randomized experiment designed to assess the effects of private schools versus public schools on academic achievement. The initial analysis…

The objective of this paper is to profile the role of homelessness in drug and sexual risk in a population of young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Data are from a cross-sectional survey collected between 2000 and 2001 in New York City (N=569). With the goal of examining the import of homelessness in increased risk for the onset of drug and…

In response to the rapid rise in court cases related to the adequacy of school funding, a variety of alternative methods have been developed to provide an analytical base about the necessary expenditure on schools. These approaches have been titled to give an aura of a thoughtful and solid scientific basis: the professional judgment model, the…

The focus of this study was to determine the causal linkages among home environment, self-concepts, prior ability, and socioeconomic status on mathematics achievement and science achievement of gifted students. The Walberg Productivity Model (H. Walberg, 1984) served as a basis for analyzing the interconnections among the family processes.…

This study investigated teachers' decisions regarding difficult-to-teach students, their causal beliefs, and their sense of efficacy. Teachers read a case study and indicated their feelings and beliefs about the situation. Teachers offered a variety of suggestions, most frequently suggesting non-teacher-based strategies. Those who made…