Children referred for psychological evaluations of completed the Bender-Gestalt and then reproduced designs from memory. Numbers of designs recalled increased with age and Performance Intelligence Quotient. The importance of developmental level in evaluation and establishment of cut-off recall scores for designs were discussed. (Author/RD)

Examines distraction effects in terms of the information processing necessary to discriminate distractors from task-relevant information and with regard to a child's ability to meet those demands. Thirty kindergarteners, 30 second graders, and 27 fourth graders participated in the study. (Author/MP)

An age-based theory of delinquency causation is developed, which assumes the importance of norms and roles specific to adolescence. The recurrent model of socialization and that assumed by traditional theorists are discussed, and their implications for the causes of delinquent behavior are examined. (Author/PN)

Assessed the authenticity of conservation attainment through an observational learning paradigm. First grade children (N=60) were exposed to either a peer or adult model who was either present or absent during a series of tasks. No correlation was found between social influence and observational acquisition of conservation. (Author/JAC)

Investigated whether sex, educational level, ethnicity, age, or state of residence are related to attitudes toward work and sex roles. Participants (N=3,639) in six states responded to Hawley's Attitudes Toward Sex Role Scale. Results indicated male attitudes were significantly more gender-bound or stereotyped unless they were college educated.…

Determined if training in rational decision making improves the quality of simulated career decisions. Training in rational decision making resulted in superior performance for females on one subscore of the knowledge measure. It also resulted in superior simulated career choices by females and younger males. (Author)

Administered six cognitive tasks to 115 men aged 50-93. Obtained two factors. The nonverbal performance factor was significantly predicted by age while the verbal factor was significantly predicted by education. The results suggest that verbal and nonverbal abilities may be determined by different antecedents. (Author)

Examined relationships between characteristics of middle-aged daughters (N=161) and the nature and amount of help that they provide to their elderly mothers. Data analyses indicated that the daughters' characteristics--their age, marital status, work/nonwork status, and living arrangements--were related significantly to the amount of help they…

The role of maturational factors in reading acquisition was investigated by exposing children 5.2 to 7.0 years of age to identical learning experiences. Older children significantly outperformed younger ones, suggesting that reading instruction at a later maturational level may be more effective than that performed earlier. (MP)

Studied Black college students' preferences (N=179) for Black counselors of varying ages and both sexes depending on type of problem. Results demonstrated that male preferences for counselors were mixed and varied, depending on the type of problem. Females tended to select female counselors for most problems. (RC)

Surveyed junior and senior high school students (N=1,269) to determine the extent to which students deliberately drink to get drunk. Responses indicated that most students who drink in order to get drunk or high find the experience of being drunk pleasurable. (Author/RC)

Reaffirms previous findings that young viewers' representations of televised dramatic narratives are incomplete and disorganized, compared to older viewers' comprehension of these programs. Also demonstrates that the information younger children retain from programs was likely to reflect stereotyped actions and events, cued by isolated, familiar…

Data from a national sample found that cohabitors are more violent than marrieds. However, cohabitors over 30, divorced women, those with high incomes, and those who were together for over ten years, had very low rates of violence. Suggests cohabitation should not be seen as a unitary phenomenon. (Author)

Adolescents' perceptions of the aged became less negative and stereotyped following two months of daily intergenerational contact in a naturalistic setting. Boys had more negative stereotyped perceptions, girls were more willing to interact with elderly. Girls and younger adolescents' perceptions changed more. Most changes concerned physical…

Women in four age groups did not differ significantly in overall level of self-esteem, but could be discriminated on the more specific aspects of self-concept. The 40- to 55-year-olds reported more positive feelings about themselves in their family relations and morality. Women over 60 showed more defensiveness. (Author)