Demonstrates how oral interpretation scholars can enrich their understanding of the empathic process. Analyzes several concepts of empathy in social cognition research and relates them to various processes interpreters have identified as empathic. Discusses pedagogical implications. (PD)

Fourteen nonretarded second-grade children, 14 educable mentally retarded elementary-aged children, and 14 trainable mentally retarded adolescents, all of preoperational cognitive level on Piagetian tasks, were compared on measures of perceptual perspective-taking, empathy, and helping. In their performance on a simple task, Ss did not vary on any…

Development of gender understanding in preschool age children was studied over eight months. Understanding appeared to follow an orderly sequence according to the person referred to: first, when the self was the referent; second, when a same-sex other; third, when an opposite-sex other. (Author/DB)

Studied children's attributions and evaluations concerning defense mechanisms used by other children. Children negatively evaluated the blame-externalizing defense of projection and viewed it as a masculine characteristic. The internalizing defense of self-blame was evaluated more positively and viewed as a feminine characteristic. (Author/DB)

Critically reviews research on developmental differences in reactions to the physically disabled in order to illustrate age-related influences and to provide a clearer conceptualization of such reactions. (Author/CM)

Offers an approach to teaching and interpreting the novel "Watership Down" that emphasizes the secondary belief in an imaginary world of rabbits (rabbitness). (RL)

Results support the hypothesis that certain classification skills underlie two types of role-taking ability: (1) in which children were asked how another child would think a cartoon ended if shown only the beginning; and (2) in which children were asked how another child would think a cartoon began if shown only the end. (Author/DB)

The teachers' ratings of peer interaction discriminated between the hyperactive children and their controls. In addition, a significant interaction effect indicated that teachers rated the older hyperactive group as more deviant with peers than both their younger hyperactive counterparts and their age matched controls. (Author)

The state-trait model was applied to empathy training, which was seen as resulting in a change in trainees' state empathy level. Successful trainees were differentiated and predicted on the basis of young age, high level of trait empathy, and high perception of the empathic functioning of the trainer. (Author)

The effect of two types of role-taking training experiences on role taking, empathy, altruism, and aggression was investigated in 30 six- and 30 nine-year-old boys. (SS)

Examines the current functional responsibilities of chief student personnel officers in two- and four-year institutions. Compares responsibilities of the officers in the two sectors and examines changes that have taken place in the last 15 years. Results indicate no substantial difference between the roles of dean of students. (Author)

Investigates two levels of the spontaneous inference of thinking in others (nonrecursive and recursive) in children of ages 10, 12, 14 and 16 using a person description task. (Author/SS)

Describes an attempt to use a commercial social skills training kit to teach role taking to a mixed group of 58 children in grade 1 and a combined class of grades 3 and 4. (CM)

Reports on a study which examined five- to seven-year-old Thai children's perspective taking ability. The study was based on Piaget's theory of developmental stages. (CM)

Presents an exercise to encourage camp staff to appreciate their responsibilities by composing a letter from a parent to a staff person expressing feelings, expectations, worries, and hopes about camp. The exercise focuses on guiding staff to generate an action plan to meet these expectations. Gives sample hypothetical letter from parent. (TD)