Describes a theoretical model for archaeologists which relates household functions to variations in household size and organization. Household functions are defined as resource production and distribution, transmission of property, and family reproduction. The applicability of this model to a project on Mayan archaeology is discussed. (AM)

Practical and theoretical issues are discussed for testing the comparability, or measurement equivalence, of psychological constructs and detecting possible sociocultural differences on the constructs in cross-cultural research designs. Issues are explicated in the framework of multiple-group mean and covariance structure analyses. (SLD)

Analyzes the growth of information work to test Bell and Porat's view that the information society is postindustrial. The measurement of information work is discussed, information occupations in the service sector and industrial sector are described, and the effect of modern management on the growth of information work is considered. (28…

In this article, the author shares his views on cellphones and real-world communication. He claims that the cellphone has changed society more than the home computer, which it has assimilated. Cellphones sound during worship, wakes, births, graduations, hearings, trials, and accreditation meetings--interrupting life-changing spiritual or secular…

Jacques Ellul's claim that technique became an autonomous phenomenon during the middle of the 20th century, and subsequently a system, means that the influence people have on technique is much less decisive than the influence technique has on people. As a sociohistorical description of the relationship between technique and society, it can be…

The article reports on a small-scale in-depth research study investigating formative assessment enacted and theorised from a sociocultural perspective within a part-time Professional Doctorate in Education (EdD) programme in an English university. Going beyond its conventional conceptualisation within psychological and motivational frameworks,…

Background: Research investigation into epistemological beliefs and students' approaches to learning (SAL) from a qualitative perspective has been limited to a few studies. In particular, very research has attempted to explore the origin of personal epistemology and its relation with SAL, taking into account the sociocultural background and …

In this study, we examined the influence of child gender and sociocultural (SCL) factors in language production. Subjects were French Parisian children in nine age groups (24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 42, 45 and 48 months). A total of 316 language samples were recorded during a 20-min standardized play session. Measures of grammatical and lexical…

Contemporary social transformations of the body are essentially mediated by medical discourse. With the body conceived of as "soft and modifiable," we are witnessing an unprecedented rise in recourse to medicine in order to validate primarily social conditions. In this context, plastic surgery functions as a modality of social control and…

This paper describes the data collected from a study that examined the participation of two students with significant disabilities in separate settings--a first-grade classroom and a high school. Interweaving several theoretical strands--disability studies, narrative theory and socio-cultural perspectives on learning--it incorporates an…

The study reported herein adopted a stress and coping framework to examine the functions of social support in protecting the mental health of migrant workers who experience migration stress during settlement in Shanghai, China. A total of 475 migrant workers from four major districts in Shanghai were recruited for a survey through multistage…

In a rural community there is a risk that readers will not find connections to their own lives, which may affect the pleasure gained from reading. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the use of literature in a small rural elementary school, focusing on how sociocultural factors affect how students connect to and access literature.…

This longitudinal study examines minority status stress and socio-cultural orientation among Latino freshmen as they enter a predominately White, elite, private institution. The study finds Latino freshmen report experiencing racism. Students respond to racism by developing an alienated sociocultural orientation and beginning to see their Latino…

The "Research & Action Report," published twice a year, is a window on the activities and initiatives at the Wellesley Centers for Women. The report typically features news about the Centers, interviews with researchers, commentary on recent events or social trends affecting women and girls, announcements of new publications, and…

In the context of 2009 European Year of Creativity and Innovation, this paper proposes an integrated reflection on creativity and its relation to plurilingualism. Relevant literature is reviewed and includes the following domains: economics (OECD, 2000); culture studies (Bhabah, 1994); globalisation studies (Monge, 1998); creativity studies and…