Examines the effect of economics instruction on ninth-grade student attitudes toward economic topics using the Economics Values Inventory. Finds that economics instruction has a measurable impact on student economic attitudes and reinforces developmental trends resulting in greater commitment to the system of economic production and diminished…

Examines the contributions of free play, the role of the teacher in planning and promoting free play, and the experiential background of children that promotes play activities. Discusses the importance of providing a variety of play materials, and lists the criteria for selecting equipment. (RS)

The relationship of achievement attributions of 34 learning-disabled children (in grades three through eight) to academic progress and developmental patterns of attributional styles was examined in longitudinal studies (continuing for two years). Developmental changes in achievement attributions parallel those of non-disabled peers (n=40), but…

Teaching students decision-making skills is integral to many drug education programs. Conducted series of studies examining elementary and secondary school students' attitudes toward making decisions. Found different age groups perceived making decisions differently. Suggests practitioners need to take maturational levels into consideration when…

Examined whether speech rate is related to the amount recalled and if developmental increases in speech rate allow faster rehearsal with age, and hence, greater recall. Found that the group relationship was clear and replicable but that speech rates of individual children were not good predictors of those children's memory spans; age was found to…

A study of 83 gay and bisexual male youths (17-23 years old) found that pubertal maturation was associated with self-reported age of first orgasm and homosexual activity and frequency of orgasms during junior high school. It concluded that gay and bisexual male youths share with heterosexual male youths a similar developmental trajectory in regard…

Maintains that young children enjoy talking about art and should be given opportunities to do so. Recommends using Parsons' Aesthetic Development Theory as a flexible framework and guideline for discussion. Includes several transcribed discussions between the teacher and her pupils. (MJP)

Discusses the three "developmental crises" that take place during infancy and early childhood, namely birth, weaning, and opposition to parental authority. The latter crisis is best overcome by presenting toddlers with choices and working with them to demonstrate their importance in the family as independent human beings. (MDM)

Describes the stages of the change process when redesigning an education system: (1) initiating the process, (2) designing the new system, (3) planning the implementation, and (4) implementing the design. The common obstacles encountered during the change process (derived from a survey of 60 schools nationwide) are analyzed, and the status of each…

In this longitudinal study, changes in parental labelling and infants' categorization skills were examined as potential predictors of vocabulary acquisition, the age of the naming explosion, and the acquisition of subordinate labels. Findings suggest that the influence of each factor varies as a function of the stage and aspect of lexical…

Introduces the essential constructs involved in dynamic modeling, in relation to issues in psychological development. Presents several instances of how the principles of dynamic systems can be translated into mathematical formalism. Concludes that transition is a key invariance in development and that single subject, longitudinal designs are…

Usher syndrome, Type I, requires multiple adaptations throughout the life cycle because each stage of life has tasks and losses associated with deafness and progressive retinitis pigmentosa. This article examines the issues raised at each stage, using clinical vignettes from persons who have this condition and their families. (Author/DB)

Evaluates the role of age on the rate of acquiring English as a second language in an immersion setting in children with native languages typologically very different from English. Results suggest that on certain aspects of grammar, different-aged children can acquire a second language during the first three years of acquisition at similar rates…

Analyzes attachment theory's viability as an overarching framework for counseling psychology. Places particular emphasis on the integrative potential and heuristic value of the theory, arguing that it can use biological (structural), psychological (cognitive/affective), and social dimensions of experience to clarify developmental dynamics in…

Reviews research related to humor, especially the role humor can play in the instructional process. Highlights include theories of humor; variables associated with humor; health benefits derived from humor; developmental stages and humor; effects of humor in children's educational television; and humor in the college environment. (25 references)…