Examines the emotional impact of inter- and intraethnic interactions with peers and authority figures among black undergraduates (n=66). Subjects reported more negative emotions in hypothetical interactions with whites and intensification of both positive and negative affect in interactions with authority figures. Range of reported effect was more…

Blacks on average continue to score about 200 points below whites on the Scholastic Assessment Tests, but the racial scoring gap is much lower in some states than others. In some states, however, notably California, the gap is widening, giving rise to concerns for college admissions for African Americans. (SLD)

Used survival analysis to identify likelihood of placing an infant or toddler in child care, using data from a national probability samples of 2,614 households. Found that median age at first placement was 33 months, but varied by geographic region, mother's employment status during pregnancy, mother's education level, and family structure.…

Examined the unique and combined contributions of race/ethnicity, income, and family structure to adolescent smoking, alcohol use, violence, suicide, and sexual intercourse. Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health indicated that though some behaviors appeared to relate to the factors, when taken together, these factors…

A study compared the characteristics of 119 HIV-infected persons with mental retardation to those of 8,175 HIV-infected persons in New Jersey. Compared to others, individuals with mental retardation were more likely to be female, Black, and have injection drug use as a route of infection. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Uses narrative methodology in a qualitative study to understand what becoming a scientist or engineer entails for women stereotyped as model minorities. Narratives revealed that Confucian cultural scripts shaped gender expectations even in families several generations in America. (Author/MM)

Examines the perception of the learning environment among different subgroups of students within science classes. Identifies variables that can promote effective science-learning environments for all students. Compares the perceptions of male and female students and of black and white students in the same class. Contains 41 references. (DDR)

Studied the psychometric properties of the Six-Factor Self-Concept Scale (J. Stake, 1994) in a sample of 185 racial/ethnic minority college women. Results support the reliability and construct validity of the subscale scores of the instrument and the potential usefulness of the scale for studying ethnic and cultural differences. (SLD)

Explored sixth graders' sexual behavior and behavior intentions, analyzing health-related risk behaviors and constructs from social support and social cognitive theories based on race and gender regarding their predictive value for students having sexual intercourse. Survey data indicated that very few students had sexual intercourse or other high…

The president of the Pioneer Fund, a nonprofit foundation that makes grants into studies of individual and racial differences, addresses some of the media attacks on the fund in the context of the nature-nurture controversy. (SLD)

Investigated the effect of the magnet school context on disciplinary rates of African American and White students. Examination of data from matched magnet and nonmagnet elementary schools indicated that African American students were much more likely to be disciplined, despite school type. The gap in rate of disciplining African American versus…

Examined the construct of expressive individualism and its relationship to other goal perspectives established in sport literature. European and African American high school athletes completed surveys. Results indicate that personal expression relates to task orientation for African Americans, whereas for European Americans it relates to ego…

Examines how categories of race have been historically constructed and applied to science, reviewing research comparing black and white infant motor development from 1931-92; investigating how scientific studies of black motor precocity were influenced by social views on race and racial differences characteristic of the times; and suggesting that…

Identified fourth graders' peer groups and measured social network closure--extent to which meaningful social relationships exist between children and their friends' parents and among parents whose children are friends. Found that higher social network closure related to higher academic achievement and lower parent-reported externalizing…

This experiment examined the impact of messages about uniqueness and similarity between groups of people on Black and Latino children's social attitudes. Children (ages 11-14) read two brief science books embedded with a similarities message ("all people are basically the same"), unique message ("each person is unique"), combined similar-unique…