The 15 components used for assessment in an introductory psychology course were examined to determine their relative value as predictors of overall performance. Multiple-choice tests were consistently found to be more effective than essay examinations, but arguments are presented for the retention of essays, with suggestions for their improvement.…

Discusses alienation as a cause of underachievement, antisocial behavior, and indifference among gifted adolescents; suggests educational implications on the basis of a theory that distinguishes between crystallized intelligence and fluid intelligence. (MCG)

An alternative approach for program evaluation of small, specialized programs when comparison groups are not available is described. This application is illustrated by presenting the results of an analysis of data from Project Talent, a national manpower study, and discussing its application to the evaluation of a medical training program.…

This study examined career teachers' allocation of extra work time within a conceptual framework influencing time use. Distinct groups prefering instructional tasks; student, or parent, counseling; or committee activities were identifiable in a prediction model. Teachers selected professional time uses congruent with their perceived skills and…

A cohort of former New York State adolescents were reinterviewed nine years after an initial survey. Drug use predictions, it was found, can be based on age effects and prior types of drug use; marijuana use, for example, is necessary for progression to other illicit drugs. (KH)

Infant novelty scores correlated significantly with measures of cognitive outcome beginning at 24 months of age and continuing at 34, 40, and 72 months of age. Parental education was strongly correlated with cognitive outcome beginning at about two years of age. (RH)

Assesses which organizational structures and climate variables were related to agency success in placing developmentally disabled children for adoption. One hundred ninety-nine public and private agencies in the United States and Canada participated in the study. Overall, decisiveness was an important agency variable in placement. Variables for…

Surveyed 141 single fathers about their experience as homemakers, the nature of their father/child relationship, and overall role satisfaction. Most men felt comfortable and competent as single parents, regardless of the reason for custody or their financial status. Both economic status and reason for custody influenced the father/child…

Increased pressure is facing many administrators today for teachers to assign more homework to students. Recent research is reviewed that correlates homework positively with student achievement, and the need for a homework policy in school districts is emphasized. (TE)

Surveyed 150 rural employed mothers to determine family and job predictors of satisfaction with the dual-work role. Findings indicated the saliency of job satisfaction variables in determining role satisfaction among this group of women as opposed to hypothesized reference group support variables and nontraditional value orientation variables.…

Discusses the concept of temperament interactions in the context of statistical interaction. Categorizes temperament interactions that involve temperament as an independent variable, as a dependent variable, or as both. Describes use of hierarchical multiple regression for the analysis of temperament interactions. (Author/CI)

The evidence for possible negative effects of first-name characteristics on personal functioning is equivocal. Two studies were conducted that avoided previous methodological problems of measurement, sampling, and statistical control. Results indicated that children's social competence and school achievement were unrelated to the frequency or…

Explores the effects of family structure during the teenage years on the likelihood of marriage later using data from two national longitudinal surveys of young people. Results indicated that childhood family patterns do influence later family formation. Sons and daughters and Blacks and Whites are affected somewhat differently. (JAC)

Predictors of job change for academic staff administrators are examined. Analyses of questionnaire data from administrators who had been employed from 1971 through 1978 indicated that predictors of job mobility differ for diverse kinds of moves with two exceptions--age and gender. (Author/MLW)

A relationship was found between a surgery clerk's chances of receiving an honor rating and level of student advocacy, number of completed patient interview and physical examination write-ups, and examination scores. Several less relevant variables had no relationship with honor ratings, lending support to the faculty forum evaluation approach.…