Although humor and laughter are most often based in fundamental social interactions, this element of communication has received little attention. To examine the socially facilitating effects of communication and social acceptance by analyzing children's intrapersonal perceptions of communication apprehension, or shyness, 169 children, aged 8 to 13…

Creativity of 72 third-graders from open and structured classes was measured in relation to anxiety level. Low anxiety children were found more creative in open as compared to structured classrooms. No significant differences were found between creativity levels of high anxiety students in the two types of classes. (Author)

The locus of control construct referred to in this study describes a distribution of individuals on a continuum according to the degree to which they accept personal responsibility for what happens to them. This study showed that for first grade children the interactions between a student's locus of control and his classroom environment may…

Examines the interactive effect of educational structure and a psychological trait, locus of control, on pupil attitudes. Subjects were 660 pupils in open and traditional classrooms in grades 4, 6, and 8. Catalytic interactions in the hypothesized directions were supported by the data with internals more satisfied in open, low-structured…

Assesses the value of a counselor-led training program for teachers and investigates its effects on classroom environment, student behavior, student achievement and attendance, and locus of control. Results indicate a significant improvement in overall student achievement and in internalized locus of control in the first and fifth grades. (RJM)

Examined age differences in the operation of beliefs-performance cycles and the effects of these cycles on the development of children's perceived control and classroom engagement from the third to the seventh grade. Found that children who experienced teachers as warm and contingent were more likely to develop optimal profiles of control. Beliefs…

Dr. Larry D. Fields, the former principal of Rowland H. Latham Elementary, led the development of a complementary learning model that became known as the Latham Way. The Latham Way produced remarkable academic success among poor minority students. The chi-square of the expected and the actual scores in reading and mathematics were significant at p…

Comments on Skinner, Zimmer-Gembeck and Connell's study (PS 528 522) which investigated the relationship between elementary school students' beliefs-performance cycles and their perceived control and classroom engagement. Notes methodological and theoretical issues and controversial issues raised by the study. Discusses the links to other…

Motivation is widely believed to be a critical component of the learning process in the elementary classroom, but educational research has failed to substantiate this belief. To investigate interrelationships among selected motivational variables, demographic, motivational and achievement characteristics of 400 elementary school students in Grades…

Israeli children responded to a questionnaire assessing self-esteem, locus-of-control, and classroom social climate. Data were compared according to school grades, socioeconomic status, and sex. Affective personality variables and children's perception of the school social environment followed divergent patterns of development according to social…

Several studies have shown that teachers' locus of control orientations are differentially related to attitudes about teaching and classroom behavior. To investigate the relationship between teachers' locus of control and students' perceptions of classroom climate, academic responsibility, and grades, matched pairs of teachers from grades four…