Critically reviews anecdotal reports and ongoing research on suicide. Describes ongoing studies which use psychological autopsies of cluster outbreaks and statistical analyses of time and space clustering of suicides. Concludes that both anecdotal case reports and epidemiologic research suggest that significant time-space clustering of suicide…

Examines the experiences and socialization process of beginning teachers. Finds that entry experiences often include unmet expectations that cause stress, frustration, and ultimately lead to exit from the profession. When attributing meaning to surprising events, beginning teachers rely on organizational and individual inputs. (DHP)

Examines student and faculty attitudes towards plagiarism, noting that plagiarism often arises from students' conflicting membership in social and academic communities. Describes two classroom strategies for exploring attitudes and values impinging on plagiarism, arguing that plagiarism is a rich topic for an informal collaborative research…

Examines group influences regarding music preferences to determine the effect that conformity has on the decision-making process. The study tested participants selections of popular and orchestral excerpts which had altered pitch and/or tempo. Concludes that preferences of music majors regarding orchestral music are not significantly affected by…

High school classmates wrote a play, "Empty Chairs," as a classroom assignment. The play has won national acclaim for its powerful message of the tragedy and futility of suicide. A videotape of the play is available and is currently being shown by schools and other organizations across the nation. (MLF)

To examine implications of a career developmental relationships model, data were gathered from 64 students in a social sciences doctoral program. Findings supported the hypotheses that (1) career mentors and peers were rated higher than sponsors on communication and affective bond and (2) mentors and sponsors rated higher than peers on power.…

Develops a research-oriented method of studying the digestive system that integrates species' ecology with the form and function of this system. Uses problem-posing, problem-probing, and peer persuasion. Presents information for mammalian systems. (27 references) (MKR)

Examined relationships between drug trafficking (selling and delivering), cigarette and alcohol use, and illicit drug use among African-American adolescents. Found that drug trafficking is equally likely to occur with or without cigarette and alcohol use or illicit drug involvement, suggesting that intervention should extend to drug trafficking in…

Students from sixth grade to college were asked to react to a hypothetical case of problem drinking. With age, the students perceived the problem as less serious, less often attributed it to moral weakness, more often emphasized the individual's responsibility for solving the problem, and expressed more acceptance. Males were more likely than…

Examined effectiveness of workshops to help first-year college students become aware of their reasons for alcohol and drug use, learn skills to resist peer pressure to drink and use drugs, and learn about assertiveness and stress reduction. Workshops did not result in significant changes in reasons for using alcohol/drugs or in alcohol/drug use…

Examines how parental and peer sexual-socialization influences are related to gender, ethnicity, religious background, and college membership in a fraternity or sorority. Findings are based on responses from 557 college students and are discussed with respect to the concerns of social scientists regarding the influence of fraternities and…

Suggests peer mediation as an alternative dispute resolution approach. Indicates the need to shift the focus from crisis intervention to prevention and to integrate dispute resolution skills into the school environment. (JOW)

An intensive three-day program at the Pines Catholic Camp, followed by weekly support meetings, aim to prevent Dallas teens from turning to gang participation. Program components include personal goal setting, commitment to a code of conduct, and physical activities that promote group unity and positive peer pressure. (SV)

Examined relationship between peer interactions and similarity in drug use among friends. Findings from large sample of secondary school students (n=113,289) indicated that youth who used specific drugs in last 30 days almost invariably had friends who used same drugs but was considerably less likely to have friends who used other drugs or no…

Over five days, videotaped and analyzed contrived play sessions of African-American male first and third graders to examine behavioral patterns leading to chronic victimization by peers. Victims demonstrated lower rates of assertive behaviors and higher rates of nonassertive behaviors than nonvictims. Children who eventually emerged as chronic…