Among the variables considered, the best predictor of achievement in biology is the IQ of the students; the type of ninth-grade science course completed seems to have very little to do with subsequent performance in biology. (DS)

Investigates the relationship between employee performance with new technology and perceptual and communication factors. Finds strong correlational evidence that three aspects of employees' perceptions of a new technology's attributes and two types of messages affect their productivity levels with that technology. (MG)

A specially designed Life Goals Scale was administered to 303 university students (200 women and 103 men) to assess the relative importance of life goals and relationships. Results indicate that university students place a high value on heterosexual relationships and are willing to sacrifice most other goals for the relationships. (AF)

The aim of this study was to determine the relative potency of different student characteristics potentially salient to differentiating epistemological view. The student variables were demographic (major and sex), verbal ability, and learning style (four scales from the Inventory of Learning Processes). (Author/MLW)

Five physicians were tape recorded during their initial interviews with 52 adult patients to quantify behaviors in physicians' initial interviewing style. Patients were asked to complete the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale. Silences or reaction time latencies, reciprocity, and reflective use of interruptions were significantly correlated with…

Investigates the effects of the use of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine on the following aspects of labor force experience: (1) earnings; (2) stability of employment; (3) gaps between employment spells; and (4) duration of unemployment. Illicit drug use was found to have an impact on all factors except earnings. (JS)

Comments on McShane and Plas' study relating Indian children's academic achievement gains to scores on psycholinguistic and intelligence tests. Questions the applicability of the instruments used, and points out problems related to multiple regression techniques, collinearity of predictor variables, and use of achievement gain scores. Contains 15…

Replicates a Florida study of high school students' decisions to drop out using data for West Virginia. Confirms earlier findings that the decision to drop out is based on the student's perceptions of the economic opportunities obtained by a high school diploma. (FMW)

Discusses study that examined the relationship between age, education, sex, and household income, and attitudes toward computers. An eight-item Likert scale, which was developed to measure the attitudes (the Computer Orientation Scale) is described, and the findings are reported, i.e., age and education had direct effects on computer attitudes. (5…

This study looked at whether prior learning of a lecture topic enhanced performance on the lecture subtests of a content-based listening test. Data was analyzed from 11 lecture subtests from the Test of Listening for Academic Purposes. (JL)

Analysis of responses from 331 teachers (63.7 percent of a sample of 520) to a 27-item instrument "Job Satisfaction Survey" reveals that meeting students' academic needs accounts for about 28 percent of unique variance in job satisfaction. (14 references) (MLF)

Describes a study that was conducted to analyze students' perceptions of instructors and instructional impact in terms of student satisfaction with the delivery of college credit correspondence courses at Pennsylvania State University. The development and use of a student satisfaction measure, the Student Perception Questionnaire, is also…

Describes study of preservice teachers that measured their attitudes toward computers and their perception of locus of control over factors which determine academic success. Computer literacy is discussed, hypotheses tested are explained, and the scales used to measure computer attitudes and locus of control are described. (32 references) (LRW)

Examines the effect of using "Learning Expedition", an integrated learning system based on computer-assisted learning, on the performance of mathematics students ages 11 to 13. Results of multiple-regression methods, used to estimate the statistical relationship between examination scores and time spent using "Learning Expedition," show a…

Presents a study examining whether confidence in the correctness of one's perceptions of normative pressure to use a condom influences the correspondence between those perceptions and intentions to perform the behavior. Finds that perceptions of normative pressure strongly predicted their intentions to use condoms when there was extreme normative…