Examines relationship between popular computer games and their players to discern how games motivate their players and general outcomes of popular computer game play in terms of substantive learning. The computer game environment, game economics and software, player characteristics, and how new and familiar games are played are described. (MBR)

Describes study which examines undergraduates' sensitivity to children's behavior and the extent to which students' behavior changes as a result of a "sensitivity to children" course. Research explored whether students' Interpersonal Perceptual Style (IPS: the extent to which a person is sensitive to another's negative and positive behavior) was a…

Summarizes past and present television and aging research, identifies several methodological concerns or problems of this research, and considers future directions for mass communication and aging investigations. Television portrayals of the elderly, television viewing behaviors, and the role of television are among the research areas discussed.…

Given the findings that females and males of all ages approach sport from markedly different perspectives, sport sociologists have acknowledged sex differences in sport socialization factors and processes. (Sport is defined in its broadest sense to encompass a range of formal and informal sport, fitness, play, and leisure activities.) It has been…

Reviews conceptual and methodological progress in climate research. A discussion of current thinking on the etiology of climates follows, and an integrative conceptual scheme is developed, based on Mead's (1934) symbolic interactionism. Implications are discussed with respect to measurement issues, management of climate acquisition, and the change…

Discusses three aspects of trial simulations used to study juror responses: (1) individuals used as jurors, especially college students; (2) the amount of information provided for jurors; and (3) the presence or absence of jury deliberation. Suggests three methodological caveats for legal communication research employing trial simulations. (PD)

The paper presents an overview of an ethological approach to the study of abnormal human behavior and a review of research using ethological approaches (with an emphasis on autism research). Ethology is defined as the study of behavior as it occurs in its natural habitat. The four types of questions ethologists ask about behavior, such as what is…

The author discusses the substantive and methodological contributions which several disciplines can make to naturalistic research in the field of special education and raises definitional issues. (Author)

Reviews the research comparing the social and behavioral characteristics of only children and children with siblings in China. Results are mixed, and many of the studies are seen as having methodological flaws. (BB)

To compile a comprehensive review of English language scientific literature regarding the effects of television on human behavior, the authors of this book evaluated more than 2,500 books, articles, reports, and other documents. Rather than taking a traditional approach, the authors followed a new model for the retrieval and synthesis of…

A broad search of the scientifically relevant literature on television and human behavior began in the fall of 1973 and extended over a year; the search concentrated on the literature since 1960, although it attempted to include all significant earlier works. In addition, special emphasis was placed on obtaining very recent, hard to locate, and…

Discusses how the dynamics of stress and coping change with the processes of aging. Suggests that since aging is a highly individualized process, cross-sectional studies of the phenomenon may be inadequate unless supplemented by a longitudinal perspective. (Author/AOS)

Some 450 studies and other items judged to be of key importance to research on television and human behavior are summarized. For empirical research, each summary presents: (1) principal findings; (2) design and methodology; (3) theory and discussion. For theory, review and nonempirical works, each summary presents: principal conclusions and theory…

This document describes research which examined the principles of reward and punishment applied to certain types of behavior portrayed by characters illustrated in 30 school readers. It was hypothesized that certain portrayed values, which have political connotations, are being transmitted to young people through the indirect method of…

The purpose of this study was to develop a method for assessing aspects of the cognitive functioning of young children from their symbolic play. Subjects were 60 children, aged 3 to 5 years, from middle-class and lower-class families. The study was conducted in two phases, with the following objectives: (1) to identify and analyze aspects of…