This paper takes up the question of the way in which "the problem with educational research" is represented. It takes as its point of departure two recent views on "the problem"--one expressed by an educational journalist and one presented by the Australian Council of Deans of Education. It locates these within a larger frame…

Examined fantasy frequency and content in relation to gender and the social attitude of liberalism/conservatism (N=304). Confirmed that males were more liberal and engaged in sexual fantasy more frequently. Subjects engaged in less sexual and bizarre-improbable fantasies as age increased. (JAC)

Near-death experiences (NDEs) are subjective experiences at the threshold of death which can include strong positive affect, dissociation from the physical body, and paranormal/transcendental phenomena. Empirical investigation of NDEs has typically relied upon retrospective reports and personality studies of individuals who have come close to…

Investigated the influence of the child's knowledge base on symbolic play in terms of event schemas. Pretend play of 10 mother-child (ages 24 to 29 months) dyads was observed in novel and free play contexts. Play was examined for thematic content, self-other relations, substitute/imaginary objects, action integration, and planfulness. (Author/BN)

Tested the hypothesis that preschool children between 2 1/2 and 6 1/2 years of age would progress though a stepwise sequence of developing ever-clearer boundaries between fantasy and reality. Findings supported the validity of the hypothesized sequence. (RH)

Because fantasy has a special role in the lives of children, the meaning and consequences of fantasy experiences in children's lives are central psychological questions. Although the scientific study of fantasy is in its infancy, it does seem to be the case that children with rich fantasy lives have better self-control and are less likely to be…

Preschool children's behavorial and physiological responses to separation were monitored before, during, and after their mothers' hospitalization for the birth of a sibling. Play sessions were videotaped simultaneously with activity level and heart rate monitoring, nighttime sleep was timelapse videotaped, and parents completed questionnaires…

Examines the relationship between domestic, occupational, fantastic, and peripheral role enactment and object ideation, social organization (solitary versus interactive behavior), and metacommunication. Each of 12 same-age, same-sex triads of three and one-half- and five-year-old children was observed during two 30-minute sessions under conditions…

This study compared the relative effectiveness of fantasy induction, intrinsic motivation induction, and combined fantasy/intrinsic motivation induction upon creative writing performance of 100 freshmen college students. All three methods enhanced the creativity of the students' poetry writing, with the conjunctive approach exhibiting no more…

In a study examining attachments to celebrity figures, 79 male and female fifth, eighth, and eleventh graders and college sophomores described themselves and their favorite celebrities. It was found that such attachments are equally important to males and females, and that gender and age affect the nature of the attachment. (DM)

Designed to pilot a particular technique for eliciting imaginative constructions centered on the microcomputer, this exploratory study used a "projective" type method with a game format that required group performance. Students in a mixed class of 88 graduate students enrolled in a course on social thought were directed to generate…

The two papers in this compilation were drawn from a conference designed to encourage scholars to continue the rhetorical tradition. The first paper, delivered by Todd Sorenson and Carrie Stopek, was the paper most highly commended by a panel of critics at the conference. The paper uses fantasy theme analysis, specifically the three fantasy theme…

Twenty-one emotionally disturbed elementary grade children completed a television viewing skills curriculum. Results of the intervention found that the subjects made significantly more accurate reality-fantasy discriminations concerning television program content than a control group; however, the curriculum was not effective in increasing…