The practice of using basal readers as the main source of reading instruction has become a controversial issue in recent years. Several negative aspects of this practice have been cited, including: (1) a focus on isolated skill development or abstract parts of the reading process; (2) a failure to recognize individual learning styles; and (3) a…

This study investigated the effect of different implicit definitions of equality upon children's performance on conservation tasks. In the study, traditional versions of conservation tasks are compared to modified versions in which initial equality is established through verbal counting of discontinuous quantities and measuring of continuous…

Perceived success and satisfaction with one's level of performance encourages efforts to challenge other band members for higher chairs within high school bands. Motivation of band members was tested by asking them if they had ever challenged and how frequently. Additionally, they were asked if they felt that they were correctly placed in their…

Supervisors who evaluate staff members' performances often do not have first hand information concerning those performances. Consequently, the staff member is sometimes not aware of what caused a person's success or failure. In order to give constructive feedback to an employee, a supervisor or another colleague could observe the staff member at…

The availability of both oral and written historical narratives provides the Readers Theater adapter with a rich opportunity to experiment with mixing oral and written narrative styles in documentary form. Those who plan to use such mixing must consider the differences between oral and written narratives. Writers and readers have almost unlimited…

This report is based on interviews with a group of elementary school children about how they answered the items in an achievement test administered 12 months after a 7-week instructional unit. Data from the interviews are related to data from further pretests and posttests and from detailed observations and recordings of the original instructional…

This study explored how social comparative information and specific, proximal goals influence children's skillful performance and percepts of self-efficacy in the context of arithmetic competency development. A total of 40 fourth and fifth graders, identified as low-achieving in arithmetic, received instruction in division along with practice…

Based on research which suggests that individuals transmit good news more than bad news and that people are motivated to project a positive image of themselves, 48 college students participated in a study to test the hypothesis that individuals would be more conscientious in giving information when future social interaction was anticipated.…

Physical training is a significant element of Marine Corps basic training which may affect nonfitness basic training outcomes in addition to improving fitness. If so, physical training side effects should be considered when designing and evaluating physical training programs. This study capitalized on naturally occurring platoon differences in…

Some research on the stimulant effect of caffeine suggests that the amount of behavioral enhancement produced by caffeine may depend on subjects' prior experience with the task and the drug. A study was undertaken to test whether prior experience with a task while under the influence of caffeine would facilitate performance of that task. Male…

Two experiments investigated relationships between state anxiety, memory processes, and children's performance on problem-solving tasks. Participants were second and sixth graders in a private elementary school in Redlands, California. In both experiments, subjects responded to three training and eight test problems presented in the introtact…

Intelligence quotient (IQ) differences among groups according to sex, and demographic and other variables have been explored for a variety of intelligence tests. This investigation analyzed data from the standardization sample for the 1981 Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) to determine the relationship of WAIS-R IQs to the…

The present research was carried out in order to determine if, in fact, the performance of anxiety-prone individuals under stress could be improved by instructing them that they have personal control over a stressor. (Author)