Cognition research can be used to improve social studies textbook design. Salient findings from research dealing with information processing styles, developmental differences, retention of key materials, and instructional principles are reviewed. Illustrative implications of these findings for the design of social studies texts are presented.…

Children completed three types of equivalent cardination tasks which assessed the influence of different stimulus configurations (linear, linear-nonlinear, and nonlinear), and density of object spacing. Prior results reported by Siegel, Brainerd, and Gelman and Gallistel were not replicated. Implications for understanding cardination concept…

The issue of defining learning disability is considered. Important recent trends in research are reviewed with regard to: intellectual skills, academic retardation, neurological and behavioral dysfunction, and cognitive and interactive processes. Current intervention methods are also briefly described. Available from: Journal of Pediatrics, C.V.…

Investigated the relationship of shyness in children (N=103) to the constricted flexible dimension of cognitive control. Findings showed a significant difference in performance of the shy and nonshy group on the Stroop Color-Word Test. The shy group was less effective in maintaining performance in the presence of interfering stimuli. (JAC)

Children's use of contextual discrepancy and stressed intonation to interpret literal form and illocutionary function in the use of ironic utterances was examined in two experiments, each using first- and third-grade children and college-age adults. Results suggest a complex relationship between literal form and illocutionary function in…

Describes a method for conducting a sophomore organic chemistry laboratory which included integrating projects with a writing task involving peer group interaction. Also includes background/theory, chemistry tasks, writing tasks, and evaluation. Included in appendices are an analytic worksheet and grading scale. (JN)

Reports research into the design and application of physical and mental practice strategies for the development of laboratory psychomotor skills of freshman chemistry students (N=360). Design of instruction materials used (focusing skills using balance, pipet, and buret and skills in quantitative volumetric analysis), evaluation of strategies, and…

Preschool and third-grade children judged the emotional states of other children on the basis of expressive cues alone, contextual cues alone, or both expressive and contextual cues. Older children were more accurate than younger children only when given multiple cues. Results are discussed in terms of cognitive-developmental and social learning…

Helping children to bridge the gap between physical materials and symbolic representations is the focus of this article. Examples are drawn from numerical topics, with several hierarchies illustrated. (MNS)

Studied weight-gain 127 primary anorexics by examining the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and the Rorschach for indices that may predict improvement. Results showed that cognitive-focusing skills, measured by the Wechsler, account for roughly half of the variance and were good predictors of weight gain. (WAS)

Using a sample of 116 junior high school classes, achievement on nine affective and cognitive outcomes was related to interactions between actual and preferred classroom individualization, measured by personalization, participation, independence, investigation, and differentiation. Findings suggest that, in individualized classroom settings,…

Used an illusory correlation paradigm to measure stereotyping by mental health professionals on the processing of information about individuals. Mental health professionals (N=34) were presented cards that identified hypothetical persons according to sex and sexual preference. Results showed stereotyping did affect the processing of information.…

Examined the effects of escapable versus inescapable aversive stimuli (noise) on performance in relation to the conceptual complexity level of college students (N=60). Overall, results suggested that conceptual complexity level mediated the experience of learned helplessness. Conceptually complex students were less negatively affected than…

Tested an expectations-based model of the cognitive processes leading to communication apprehension. Found that expectations are a significant predictor of communication apprehension as measured by self-reports. Also important were communicative goals and the interaction of expected outcome and goal importance. (PD)