Individual differences in achievement orientation are compared with differences in gifted students' use of feedback on a classroom exam. The achievement orientation of 57 seventh- and eighth-grade gifted students was measured using the Motivational Orientation Scale (MOS). There were 33 males and 24 females. As part of their regular classroom…

The purpose of this report is to distill curricular and testing implications of brain research. The report will focus on three topics. One topic is the possibility that brain lateralization--that is, the degree to which the two brain hemispheres specialize in different types of information processing--is an individual differences variable that…

This paper reviews the literature on the elderly prisoner, defined in the majority of studies as 50 or 55 years of age. A discussion from several surveys dealing with the numbers of older adult felons is presented and the crimes that brought these older men to prison are described. Some of the characteristics of older prisoners are discussed,…

A model of internal principle for integrating past research findings on adult altruism postulates that although individuals' shared beliefs result in significant group effects, there remains a significant portion of variation due to a subject's "factor" or unique internal rule. To examine the influence of both the level (degree or amount) and the…

Many adjustment problems may stem from the difference between initial expectations and later, experienced perceptions. To test this theory in relation to the social climate of university living units, and to assess initial perceptions and predictions of the future in relation to level of social exploration as a coping style, 92 entering freshmen…

The objective of the Adaptive Learning Environments Model (ALEM) is to establish and maintain school environments that ensure optimal learning success opportunities for most students through adaptive instruction. Modification of the environment to accommodate student differences has been an important design consideration in the development of the…

Examined were changes in students' positive and negative perceptions of junior high as they made the transition from sixth to seventh grade and the relation of students' perceptions to their social and academic adjustment. A total of 100 students were interviewded in the spring of their sixth-grade year, the fall of their seventh-grade year, and…

In considering the questions of what sense teachers make of their professional education and what they learn during teacher preparation, two case studies are presented, based on an analysis of interviews across the first year of teacher preparation. The first student was enrolled in an academic-learning program which emphasized the importance of…

The literature review examines the issue of whether categorical differentiation and placement of mentally retarded and learning disabled students is educationally warranted. First, the two conditions are defined; next, a comparison between the two on psychological, behavioral-social, and educational characteristics usually ascribed to children so…

This paper reviews several studies on aptitude treatment interaction, the interaction between the learners' individual differences and methods of instruction. Specifically, it investigates the relationship between previous knowledge, including previously held misconceptions, and instructional methods. It is suggested that significant interactions…

America has not attained its goal of a fully literate and educated population. In order to assure high school graduation for all students, states must undertake new initiatives to reach the one out of four youth who does not graduate. Substantial changes in education policy and in school practice are necessary to accomplish this objective. These…

Recent research in the area of masculine and feminine personality characteristics has led to conflicting results about the adaptive value of androgyny. To investigate the relationship between sex-typing and self-reported job satisfaction and performance in the male-dominated field of engineering, 346 male and 346 female engineers completed the…

This paper discusses the relationship between individual differences and educational practices by reviewing the historical models of teaching and past research on learner characteristics. The mental testing movement is reviewed in terms of the emergence of aptitude as a measurable concept. Learner motivation is also discussed along with the…

With the proliferation of suicide prevention centers in the United States, the task of rapidly and effectively assessing an individual caller's suicide potential has become an important research problem. However, the social science researcher is often confronted with an ethical problem when the results of his predictive equations can be used to…

Many research studies have used samples of women in introductory psychology courses, but few studies have focused on women interested in careers in psychology. To compare women who aspire to careers in psychology with those aspiring to other professions, 428 women in their senior year at seven colleges completed questionnaires assessing career…