Should a stimulus be defined as the single event immediately preceding a response (simple stimulus) or as a constellation of antecedents representing several preceding events (complex stimulus)? Sixty-eight families with a child between four and eight years of age were observed, and family interactions coded in the naturalistic setting of the…

This theoretical paper explores the implications of some modifications and extensions of the Transactional Analysis (TA) theory of personality and attempts to understand some specific aspects of human nature and behavior in evolutionary terms. "Ego State" as used in TA designates both a structural and functional unit of the personality.…

The methodology discussed is used in ongoing research to contrast the effectiveness of several patterns of parental authority with the same children at different ages. The first characteristic of these methods is the use of trait and behavior ratings to assess dispositional tendencies. The construct of a dispositional trait is used to account for…

The study tested relationships between patterns of parent-youth-interaction and two aspects of identity formation; the extent to which an adolescent explored alternatives and the degree to which he or she had made commitments. Interviews assessing aspects of the identity process were conducted with 99 Danish students, age 17 and 18. Independent…

To determine whether maternal involvement reflects her expectations about her child's ability to solve the tasks at hand, a group of 32 boys and their mothers were studied. Sixteen of the boys were classed as reflective and 16 were classed impulsive on the Matching Familiar Figures Test. The boys were matched on age (8 years 9 months and 8 years 6…