Explanations of age-related differences in adult memory usually assume two forms: processing deficits and structural deficits. Processing deficit explanations attribute recall differences to a failure of older adults to effectively use the processes of attention, organization, mediation (the use of such devices as visual images and verbal images…

Although age-related memory differences in adulthood occur in a variety of memory tasks, most of these tasks represent uncommon memory demands. An investigation of everyday memory demands explored the effect of contextual organization on memory performance of middle aged (N=20) and older (N=20) women. Tasks involved reconstruction of spatial…

In an incidental memory task, second, sixth, and tenth-grade students performed three orientating tasks on different subsets of items in a list of common nouns. In one condition (EPA), children judged words on the Evaluative, Potency and Activity dimensions of the semantic differential. In another condition (EEE) children made phonetic judgments.…

The social psychology literature largely ignores attribution patterns made by both sexes of differing generations on an activity with salience for both sexes. "Parenting" is an activity with such salience. In estimating parental success for stimulus situations involving parent-child interactions, undergraduates and their parents were virtually…

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of different tasks on behavior in mother-child interactions. Five tasks, varying in degree of structure and difficulty, were used in mothers' interactions with their children at 24 and 36 months of age. Subjects were Mexican-American mothers and their children. All were participants in an…

The determinants of student decisions to take or not take mathematics were studied. The variables selected for the study were derived from the expectancy/valve model of behavior. Choice is found to be influenced most directly by the utility valve of mathematics for attaining future goals and the interest of on-going mathematics activities.…

Perceived causality for events seems to be age-related, the cognitive structures of older children being more complex. The influence of age on interpersonal perception was examined by comparing the preferred causal attributions of youngsters in grades 5-13 for teacher behavior. A pilot study produced eight explanations of teacher behavior: (1)…

The present experiment focused on the development of a "cumulative rehearsal, fast-finish" rehearsal routine. This study was designed for two purposes: (1) to extend the notion of the "executive function" to the case where continued use of mnemonic routine is a reasonable response to an objective change in an information processing task, and (2)…

Body movements and facial expressions of males and females in a restaurant setting were examined, with the goal of providing differences in frequency as a function of age and sex. The subjects (N-197 males and N=131 females) were seated in three Seattle fast food restaurants and were selected on a semi-random basis and then observed for three…

Two issues which are addressed in children's cross-race relationships are assessment and intervention. Results from two different types of sociometric studies are reviewed: those using measures of cross-race "best-friendship" and those using measures of "acceptance." Comparisons suggest that using a criterion of best-friendship rather than…

Quality of life in adulthood (ages 27-47) was investigated; age, marital status and sex were considered the primary variables. Attention was given to the consideration of the current crises-oriented theory of adult development. The interrelationship of the variables was of principle interest in assessing life satisfaction and personality…

This study investigated preschool children's understanding of the words "know" and "guess." Subjects for the study were 48 male and female preschool children ranging in age from 3.6 to 6.6 years. The children were divided into three age groups representing one year intervals. The task for the study involved a "guessing" game in which a colored…

This study examines the use of personal pronouns by 6-year-old children. It was hypothesized that the child's use of personal pronouns would reflect an emphasis and awareness of the social self as actor and that the self as subject would be less salient. Subjects were 128 first or only children and their mothers. Five-minute conversations between…

First-, third- and fifth-grade children participated in a study of information seeking, using a "Twenty Questions" procedure with a hierarchical array of pictures. Economy of inquiry increased with grade but was unaffected by practice, replaying a game, or observing a model. Age differences in types of questions reflected differences in…

About 25 children in each of grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 were tested in their ability to solve linear syllogisms, such as: John is taller than Mary. Mary is taller than Pete. Who is tallest--John, Mary, or Pete? Response latencies and error rates decreased across grade levels and sessions. Component latencies also generally decreased with increasing…