Responds to Caple's self-organization paradigm of student development, where humans are viewed as open systems, unstable because of continuous exchange of energy with their environments. Corroborates the inevitability of disequilibrium in human existence but is disturbed by the notion of random determination of second-order change. Raises…

Make-believe play is an important part of growing that can help young children develop physically, emotionally, socially, creatively and intellectually. Suggestions are offered to help parents know when play may be leading to abnormal behavior and to know how they can respond to fantasy. (DF)

Kindergarten children and third-grade students viewed transformations either apparently violating or actually preserving conservation. Subjects reacted to and explained outcomes and responded to conventional conservation questions. Findings suggest very gradual progression across two stages and indicate that many third-grade students do not view…

Provides background information on Fred Piaget, and describes his three stages of day care director development: pre-managerial, concrete managerial, and formal managerial. (HOD)

Used Murstein's SVR (stimulus-value-role) theory to test the sequence of the value and role stages, and examined personal and couple readiness for marriage. Couples (N=88) who completed a premarital instrument were contacted by telephone one year later. Results provided little support for a sequence of value and role stages. (JAC)

Discusses philosophical, economical, and psychological issues related to midlife, focusing on the ontological and economic aspects of life that seem to be particular challenges to those at the midpoint of their lives. Addresses the role of counselors and psychologists in facilitating the individual's awareness and choice in midlife. (LLL)

This study that examined the economic reasoning of preschool and elementary school children concluded that (1) the nature of children's economic reasoning is supportive of cognitive development theory; (2) children's economic reasoning varies somewhat by personal experiences, and (3) the intermediate grades are an appropriate level to emphasize…

This article reviews important aspects of adult development and motivation literature and offers an approach for improving the quality of worklife for teachers. The approach requires that the static relationships between teachers and organizations be replaced with dynamic interdependencies. (CB)

Issues in studying pubertal events are examined, including whether puberty is best characterized as a social construction or a physical event, whether early adolescence is a transitional or distinct life period, life events associated with puberty, boundaries of early adolescence, and possible models for studying pubertal change. (Author/BW)

Results of a survey of 42 college students concerning their conceptions of learning, good teaching, studying, insight and understanding, and application of knowledge are discussed. (MSE)

Reviews the literature on graphic literacy particularly in relation to vocational education. The concept of graphic literacy is explained in terms of the Development Model of Literacy. It was recommended that further research be conducted to clarify how graphics materials assist comprehension and how they could be most beneficially used within…

Describes a study conducted to develop a clear picture of this period labeled adulthood from the perspective of men and women, to look at similarities as well as differences between these groups, and to reveal their perceptions of this time of life. (CT)

The relationship between sex role orientation and psychological adjustment was assessed in a study of college students. Androgynous subjects had higher adjustment scores than those with masculine or feminine orientation. Suggests that findings about the relationship between sex roles and adjustment may be closely tied to the expressive or…

A total of 41 children ranging in age from 9 months to 6 years, 6 months of age were observed playing at game-like tasks. Disruptive interventions were made at different times and with different levels of intensity. Children's reactions revealed developmental stages in wanting to do things by themselves; stages varied with the development of…

This article describes a follow-up and secondary analysis of ego development of two samples originally tested early in their college years and retested to constitute a longitudinal study. Resultant data are consistent with the hypothesis that ego growth occurs according to a fixed sequence of stages and suggest that rate of growth decreases with…