The debate over whether the 50 states are meaningful units for macro-sociological research has mostly been conducted on the basis of deductive reasoning. Three sets of analyses that are intended to provide much needed empirical data on this issue were studied. The first set involved all variables in the "County and City Data Book" used…

Because of the limitations of previous related studies, this analysis was undertaken to examine in greater depth the relationship between television viewing, reading performance, and related reading activities. A synthesis of eight statewide assessments and an analysis of the 1984 National Assessment of Educational Progress were designed to…

Reported in this paper are the findings of five meta-analyses assessing the relationships among children's interpersonal cognitive problem-solving (ICPS) skills, training, and behavioral adjustment. Five hypotheses were examined: (1) Adjusted children score higher on ICPS measures than do nonadjusted children; (2) Children trained in ICPS skills…

The main theories of motivation are reviewed in an effort to help teachers discern various tactics and techniques that they can use with gifted, talented, and creative students. Among the theories examined are Ivan Pavlov's respondent conditioning; Albert Ellis's rational-emotive approach; Abraham Maslow's triangular approach to growth and…

Whether or not there are sex differences in helping behavior is a question that has attracted interest from both theoretical and applied perspectives. A meta-analysis was conducted of 172 studies of helping behavior, coded for publication date, source, sex of author, sample size, setting, type of appeal for help, availability of other helpers, sex…

Inter-class ability grouping, i.e., assigning students to classes according to ability, is a controversial topic among parents, teachers, school administrators, and educational researchers. To determine the effects of inter-class ability grouping, a meta-analytic methodology was applied to 85 studies carried out in elementary and secondary…

Discusses results of a meta-analysis which sought to identify those variables found in research as strongly correlated with responsible environmental behavior. Variables found significant were: knowledge of issues; knowledge of action strategies; locus of control; attitudes; verbal commitment; and sense of responsibility. Proposes a model of…

Research syntheses of individual bivariate studies of the effects of specific predictor variables on student outcomes are considered. Walberg's nine-factor model of educational productivity is used to organize the syntheses and to identify aptitudinal, instructional, and environmental variables linked with student achievement and learning. (TJH)

Meta-analyses of past studies in numerous countries on factors influencing student outcomes are synthesized to examine educational productivity in the learning of science. A systems approach and Walberg's productivity model are used to perform the analyses. (TJH)

Examined extent to which infant-mother attachment could be predicted by mother interactional variables and infant proneness to distress. Meta-analysis indicated that sensitive, responsive maternal interaction predicted the security of attachment in Ainsworth and Wittig's "strange situation." Proneness to distress, a temperamental variable,…

Speculates about the outcomes of person-environment research and suggests how more successful research might be planned. Focuses on congruence effects and the value of meta-analysis. Suggests careful use of theory; attention to both environmental and personal assessment; identification of potent personal, environmental, and theoretical variables;…

Analyzes research in the area of children and the media and concludes that there is no support for the hypothesis that research questions relating to the subject are cyclical and follow a predictable pattern with the introduction of each new medium into the social system. (FL)

A meta-analysis of 79 research reports on the effects of calculator use on students' achievement and attitude in grades K-12 was conducted. At all but one grade level, students using calculators maintained or improved their paper-and-pencil skills. Suggestions for the classroom are included. (MNS)

Meta-analysis of research on a topic may exclude reports that do not present their results in a statistical form amendable to summarizing procedures used. This article illustrates how researchers can consider this aspect in computing statistics from their data. An illustration of how that can sometimes be done is presented. (Author/JAZ)

This meta-analysis found a minimal relationship between student achievement and educational expenditures except for direct instructional expenditures such as teachers' salaries and supplies. The amount spent is less vital than how the money is spent. (Compare gymnasium renovation with purchasing a new math program.) Nonschool factors may also be…