Social-emotional characteristics and drug use patterns of adolescents who reported having no friends (i.e. isolates) were compared to those of adolescents in drug using and non-drug using peer groups. Adolescents with no drug using peers reported lowest drug use and those with drug-using peers had highest drug use, with isolated adolescents…

Discusses instructional design and explains the multi-channel learning environment which was developed to allow the use of various media to provide alternative learning paths to accommodate differences in learning styles and media preferences. Highlights include taxonomies of learning; social aspects of learning; self-learning in distance…

Suggests that the teaching of English worldwide is tied to native speaker norms. Argues that although this orientation is often recognized as inappropriate and counter-productive, it persists because discussions about global English on the meta-level have not been accompanied by a necessary reorientation in linguistic research. (Author/VWL)

Discusses important characteristics of the new communication order, providing a context for an overview of research in the field of literacy and technology studies consistent with the New Literacy Studies view of literacy as a set of social practices. Particular attention is given to theoretical and empirical aspects of the Australian Digital…

If one understands the normative structure of a given peer group, one can begin to understand the type of influence that group has on the behavior of its members. Despite the centrality of norms to understanding student peer groups, little or no research has focused on the empirical delineation of normative structures of college students. Thus,…

This study tested predictions from economic and developmental theories that maternal time with an infant is important for mother-child relationships and children's development, using time-use diaries for mothers of 7- to 8-month-old infants from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care (N=1,053).…

Data were gathered from videotaped recordings of two preschool children engaged in unstructured free play over 12 days each. Observers coded behavior from the videotapes and completed a behavior rating scale for each child after every two observation sessions. Teachers also completed two behavior rating scales per child. Results indicated that at…

The topic of social structure and interaction presents social science professors with a notable teaching opportunity. The active learning technique described in this article requires students to briefly analyze the statuses and roles of individuals with whom they are familiar. They then role play assigned characters as they would interact at a…

The social functioning of 64 young adolescents (10- to 12-year olds) was examined in relation to negative emotionality and regulation during early adolescence, as well as two, four, and six years earlier. Young adolescents who were viewed as relatively high in social functioning (i.e., high teacher-rated school social competence; low mother- or…

This study examined the effects of one unfamiliar adult's warm, responsive interactions or cold, aloof, unresponsive interactions on child emotion and subsequent social initiatives to a second adult. Participants were 32 4 1/2- to 5 1/2-year-old preschool children. Nurturing, responsive caregiving and non-nurturing, unresponsive caregiving were…

In this study, the authors investigated the relation between early social contingency experiences and infants' competencies to detect nonsocial contingencies. In this study of 87 three-month-old infants, the authors operationalized early social contingencies as prompt, contingent maternal responses and coded microanalytically on the basis of…

The orbitofrontal cortex contains the secondary taste cortex, in which the reward value of taste is represented. It also contains the secondary and tertiary olfactory cortical areas, in which information about the identity and also about the reward value of odours is represented. The orbitofrontal cortex also receives information about the sight…

A growing number of countries have recognised the importance of high quality early childhood provision for the development of the young child and the impact on economic growth and prosperity. What shapes Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in an expanding Europe of today? Many factors clearly influence policy decisions and program…

American society's concern with the necessity of teaching the importance of good character and ethical/moral decision-making in school is growing. However, many concerned parties fail to recognize that the school--and even the most dedicated teacher--will not be able to teach ethical decision making in a vacuum. Despite this reality, it is…

The study addresses the relationship between values and occupations. Israeli workers (N = 652; mean age = 47; 43% male) in 32 occupations reported their values using the Portrait Value Questionnaire (Schwartz, Melech, Lehmann, Burgess, Harris, & Owens, 2001), and value scores were aggregated within occupations. Occupations were classified…