Textbook presentations of Asch's classical research were used as a case example to evaluate whether an anti-group bias exists in social psychology. Ninety-nine textbooks were analyzed to evaluate whether an overemphasis on conformity was presented by textbook descriptions of Asch, and whether independence and resistance to group pressure were…

This paper describes the Project ALERT program (Adolescent Learning Experiences in Resistance Training) which was established by the Rand Corporation to prevent smoking and drug use among seventh graders. The program is based on the social influence model of drug use initiation. Curriculum features are described including motivation to resist and…

The problems of drug and alcohol use among young people has caused concern for many years. A survey of students' attitudes concerning drugs and alcohol use was conducted by the classroom publication "Weekly Reader." Students in grades 4 through 12 responded to the poll, and a random sample of 101,000 responses was analyzed. The results…

Attribution of a disposition or trait to a person asserts information about the pattern of that person's behavior. Past research has suggested that a moral disposition implies only moral behavior, while an immoral disposition implies both moral and immoral behavior. The effect of these implicational schemata on attributions of morality was…

The benefits of including a neutral category in research on children's sex stereotypes were explored in this research on 236 third, fifth and eighth graders' stereotypes of peers and adults. Stories describing 26 stereotyped traits were given to students to judge as more characteristic of males than females, more characteristic of females than…

The problem of teenage pregnancy can be viewed as endemic, a part of American culture not easy to change. Although the number of girls under 15 who are becoming pregnant is not very large (13,000 in 1978), the cost of pregnancy to the girls themselves, their families, and society is very great. Results of data analyses from action research,…

Attitudes of members of Greek fraternities and sororities concerning hazing were studied at the University of North Dakota. A survey instrument was completed by 476 students. Activities considered to be hazing by a majority of respondents were those that are potentially injurious to the physical and/or mental health of the pledges or that could…

One of a series of papers which focus on 10- to 15-year-old adolescents, this publication describes these young people as they work through developmental tasks in environments (families, communities, peer groups, and schools) that are part of their daily lives. This description is used as a basis to accomplish the following: (1) a further…

Metacognitive approach responses of preschoolers about sex differences in emotionality were examined to determine if they could be modified by contextual cues. Fear was clearly perceived as a feminine emotion by preschoolers. Sadness was not seen as gender-specific. Females utilized imagery as a mediator of their gender attribution. Results…

This self-scoring questionnaire on attitudes related to smoking includes norms based upon the responses of 7,000 teenagers and a discussion of the meaning of eight subscores. The subscores are: (1) effect of smoking on health; (2) non-smoker's rights; (3) positive effects of smoking; (4) manufactured reasons for smoking; (5) reasons for starting;…

A model of the self concept formation process was tested using path analysis and data on 1225 Bolivian seventh graders. (SB)

Examines the effect of athletic-related activities on peer-group culture of students at a predominantly working-class middle school. Reports that certain extracurricular activities influence the male and female cultures of early adolescents by promoting specific values which are incorporated into the informal peer-culture of the school.…

Reviews literature regarding factors associated with children's initiation into smoking and examines efficacy of health education programs in preventing smoking in children. Though using peer leaders as health educators has been successful, parent-implemented health prevention programs aiming at children at younger ages may be more effective in…

Examined data on courtship violence among college students (N=289) for aggressors and victims and for males and females, distinguishing among three types of violence (abuse, violence, sexual aggression). Found that influences most proximate in time and place affected courtship aggression most strongly; subjects' experiences as victims and…

Eight high- and low-status nonhandicapped students ages 7-10 (N=8) were taught to direct social initiations to eight severely handicapped students during recess. Interactions of the high-status students resulted in higher levels of initiations by nontrained peers toward the handicapped students than did interactions of low-status students.…