Discusses the role of humor in children's social development in the following areas: (1) social interaction; (2) friendship development and popularity; (3) hostility expression; and (4) interpersonal relationships. Argues that early humor development helps to optimize social development. (FMW)

Surveyed Fortune 200 companies to determine marketability of college students after they have chosen and pursued a liberal arts degree. Recruiters identified five qualities they expected to find in liberal arts students: communication skills, analytical skills, inquiry and research skills, interpersonal skills, and flexibility/adaptability.…

Observation of four elementary grade learning disabled children about six months after a social skills training program found generalization of new skills by all subjects to new environments. Training included generalization training in the form of systematic attention by teachers and parents in the new environments. (Author/DB)

A survey of physicians graduating from three liberal arts colleges found that many felt college failed to meet their need for skill in dealing with people, but provided more than adequate basic science and willingness to be different. Respondents would prefer having taken more humanities and fewer science courses. (Author/MSE)

College students (N=400) completed measures of loneliness, personal attributes, social behavior, and friendship to examine role of selected personal attributes and friendship network variables in the experience of loneliness. Found that personal attributes such as social competence and sex-role orientation were strongest predictors of loneliness…

Administered Minnesota Counseling Inventory and Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognition (RISC) to 174 adolescents in Hong Kong. Results showed that negative schizophrenic symptoms of social dysfunction and emotional instability as measured by Minnesota Counseling Inventory were positively and significantly correlated with positive schizotypal…

Compared cognitive-relaxation and social skills training interventions for general anger reduction in college students. After one year, participants in both interventions reported less general anger, personal-situational anger, anger-related psychophysiological reactivity, and trait anxiety than did untreated controls. Findings suggest long-term…

Asked about principals' leadership role, Peters claims we've gone wrong by emphasizing the superstructure over the unit commander and by taking "leading" and "managing" distinctions too seriously. Vision and people skills are all-important. Unfortunately, schools have drawn from the worst of private-sector management and…

Results indicated among children in low social competence at initial clinic visit, higher levels of subsequent negative life events predicted higher levels of somatic complaints at follow-up. Life events and somatic complaints were also related to characteristics exhibited by patient's parents. (53 references) (BF)

Recently promulgated national education goals and school restructuring ideas overlook middle-school-aged children's unique needs and circumstances. Schools should foster the development of world-class people, not superemployees. Focus should be on developmental tasks and diverse opportunities for self-exploration, competency development,…

Activities for team-building in college-level management and organizational behavior classes are described. The exercises use adventure-education techniques but have as their central theme the production of rhythms in various forms: creating predictable agendas; beating simple rhythms on desks; a Japanese hand clapping; recitation; and feeling…

Suggestions are made for supervisors to help make the personnel evaluation process more meaningful and less intimidating to employees, particularly when cultural, gender, disability, or other personal characteristics inhibit mutual understanding. Emphasis is on clear, two-way communication and constructive interaction. (MSE)

Proposes that internalization as a result of discipline is based on a child's accurate perception of the parental message and acceptance or rejection of it. Mechanisms promoting acceptance are perceptions of the parent's actions as appropriate, motivation to accept the parental position, and perception that a value has been self-generated.…

Parents and teachers need to work together to help children with special needs develop meaningful friendships. Emphasis is on the need for parents and teachers to build structures likely to facilitate the development of friendships. (DB)

Special educators can use videocassette recording technology to teach students classroom skills; introduce students to new material and instructional formats; promote prosocial behavior; and share information with and train parents. (DB)