This study was conducted to identify types of interactions associated with social influence among school children at three grade levels. Social influence was defined in terms of the ways in which a child attempted to convince other group members to adopt his or her opinions about the appearance of three different inkblots. Eighteen kindergarten,…

A course for older learners in practical applications of basic interpersonal communication techniques is proposed in this paper. Following a review of the current status of lifelong learning programs, the discussion shifts to a two-part outline of a course designed to train older students in effectively solving both personal and social problems.…

Encounter groups represent an attempt to apply group methods for the enhancement of personal awareness and the acceleration of personal growth among "normal" people. The extent to which an individual's moral values are modified by disclosure and discussion of these values in an encounter group setting was investigated with a group of nine…

Research indicates substantial evidence that, compared with competition, cooperation increases mutual friendliness and contact between individuals. The effects of cooperative and competitive experiences on the structure of student cliques in the classroom were examined. Seven classrooms of fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students (N=117) were…

This paper suggests that groups are effective modalities for meeting older persons' psychological needs and enhancing their sense of well-being. Following a review of the literature on group work with the aged, the effectiveness of group work as an intervention strategy for the treatment and prevention of mental health problems is demonstrated.…

The facilitator's manual offers information for conducting a workshop to teach regular educators, special educators, and parents of handicapped children communication skills as they relate to decisions in the individualized education program (IEP) team meeting. Three presentations provide participants with an increased awareness of the need for…

The facilitator's manual offers information for conducting a workshop to teach regular educators, special educators, and parents of handicapped children problem solving and decision making techniques as they relate to the individualized education program (IEP) team. Three presentations are designed to define and discuss the rationale and process…

Despite the fact that group work in speech communication classes is assigned to aid students in learning to work productively in groups, there are many people who avoid it and who express a sincere dislike for any group activity in the academic setting. This negative initial reaction toward group work was studied in order to compile a taxonomy of…

Questions most frequently asked about teacher centers are presented in a question-answer format. The rationale of teacher centers, their relationship to the school, and how they function are discussed. Also included in discussion are financing, staffing, governance, and planning. Three active teacher centers are described. (JD)

This discussion is concerned with the rationale and method of the Woodard Outreach Group Model. Included is a description of some of the theoretical and strategic matters involved with this method of working with small groups. Examples are presented illustrating ways in which the model has been modified and used with success in a variety of…

A model of conversational distance violations that claims that these violations mediate communication outcomes such as source credibility, source attraction, and learning was examined in a study involving 136 undergraduate students. The students were tested in small group settings using eight confederates, four rated highly and four lowly in…

This study examined the issue of how groups of students attempting to solve problems can be taught to consider moral aspects of the problem at a mature level. Classes in Swiss cantons (N=42) were given one of three different moral problems. Each class was divided into eight groups. The three treatments were: (1) provision of additional background…

In order to develop an ecological theory of teaching, the classroom must be viewed as a sociological unit. The unit of interest was the teacher-student learning group. The basic question explored was: What is the relationship between human interactions and the physical and social contexts of the group? Teams of scholars met in seminars, each…

Research on the learning transfer process from T-group interpersonal skills training programs in business, education, and institutional settings has been generally positive, but has been mixed when examined in encounter and personal growth groups. The learning transfer process from a personal growth group experience was investigated to determine…

The Communication Role Assessment Measure (CRAM) is an application of role theory to organizational communication. Using a communication-based taxonomy, CRAM was developed to integrate previous research in the field and to assess the following elements: the amount of time spent by members of an organization in selected communication roles; their…