This study examined the social attributions of 32 students with learning disabilities (LD) compared to those of 29 nonlearning-disabled low achieving and 33 average-achieving students. Students with LD were more likely to use external factors in explaining their social successes and failures, while attributing their successes to internal factors.…

This paper views effective communication as an essential component of appropriate social behavior, provides definitions and conceptualizations of social skills and social competence within academic contexts, and describes social skills assessment and intervention procedures for school-age children and youth with and without disabilities.…

Three peer caregivers with moderate mental retardation worked to improve the occupation level of a passive man with profound mental retardation. The peer caregivers carried out meaningful activities with the trainee for 15-minute periods. The trainee received social reinforcement; the caregivers received tangible reinforcement. Use of multiple…

This paper reviews functional analysis' historical development as an important pretreatment assessment and analysis strategy for academic and social behavior problems. It examines seminal and influential studies to document historical and contemporary progression, functional analysis' contributions, and future directions. Conclusions focus on…

Argues that feminist psychologists not only do not have a uniform position on the issue of gender differences, but that many have argued for large gender differences. The article contends that meta-analyses indicate great variability in the magnitude of gender differences across different behaviors. (GR)

Ways to promote generalization of social skills of students with learning disabilities (LD) are considered. Approaches include: sequential modification, introducing naturally maintaining contingencies, training sufficient exemplars, training across settings, training loosely, using indiscriminable contingencies, programming common stimuli, and…

Discusses a model of television interpretation processes regarding the influences of alcohol advertising and describes a study that tested the model with preadolescent at-risk students. Highlights include perceptions of alcohol use at home and on television; social norms; perceived realism of commercials; and intent to drink. (41 references) (LRW)

Studied the changes in the social exchanges of 30 young children with disabilities with their mothers and a familiar playmate at 4 data points over a 16-month period. Found that the children engaged in more and increasingly social exchanges over time, showed more vocal behavior, and completed more object-related acts. (AC)

Underlines two major differences between moral judgments and moral behavior. For behavior, the moral situation is construed from an observer's perspective after the event and typically involves conflicts between moral and other kinds of pressures. For judgment, the situation is interpreted from the self's perspective in advance and often involves…

Comments on the issues introduced by Saltzstein (PS 522 554) in this issue. Elaborates on Saltzstein's proposed social cognitive factors that may account for discrepancies between moral reasoning and action, highlighting strengths and weaknesses. (AA)

Two children with autism, aged 10, were exposed to peer-implemented pivotal response training (PRT). Typical peers implemented PRT strategies by modeling, role playing, and didactic instruction. Both children with autism maintained prolonged interactions with the peer, initiated play and conversations, and increased engagement in language and…

Presents a Person X Situation (PXS) model of sexual harassment suggesting that sexually harassing behavior may be predicted from an analysis of social situational and personal factors. Research on sexual harassment proclivities in men is reviewed, and a profile of men who have a high a likelihood to sexually harass is discussed. Possible PXS…

Examined socialist citizens' views of military crimes of obedience, their attitudes toward political dissent, and predictors of each. No relationship was found between respondents' attitudes about disobedience and their responses about political dissent. However, greater education was associated both with claiming that one would disobey and with…

A total of 87 children were observed in play with unfamiliar peers at 4, 6, and 8 years of age, and judged by their parents for inhibition. Observed inhibited behavior and parental judgments of inhibition became increasingly associated with solitary-passive activity. With increasing age, inhibited children spent longer periods in solitary-passive…

Discusses the salience of father-infant rough play in some countries and presents data on the physical play interactions of 34 Indian mothers and fathers with their 1 year olds. The data suggest that fathers do not have a greater propensity than mothers for rough play and that rough play may be culture specific. (Author/LB)