Children and adolescents tested to determine the development of the operator construct of rational numbers employed different problem-solving strategies depending on test presentation. Three major phases in the rational number construct appear to be a primitive fractional construct, a unit operator phase, and a general operator phase. (SB)

Holds that differences observed in instructor attention to Navajo and Caucasian children are due to the contrasting verbal and nonverbal-visual styles displayed by the two groups. Offers an evaluation program which attempts to offset teachers' tendencies to attend differentially to children displaying diverse behavioral styles in the classroom.…

Educators tend to make complex evaluations of the behaviors of colleagues. A study of teacher perceptions of three "brinkmanship" behaviors indicates that educators employ at least five attitude dimensions in characterizing such behaviors and that there are systematic and meaningful differences in the ways they perceive their colleagues'…

The theoretical perspective and naturalistic methods of ecological psychology developed by Roger Barker are described. Ecological assessment implies examining (1) naturally occurring behavior; (2) environment immediately surrounding behavior; and (3) the individual-environment link. The specimen record, chronolog, and behavior-setting survey are…

Parallels between the abusive parent and the abusive teacher are drawn, demonstrating problem areas that need to be determined in order to stop the abusive behavior. Problems include parent being abused as a child, failure to understand the child, society's attitude toward abuse, environmental stress, and lack of positive role models. (CT)

Presents a case study of an elementary school child with a learning disability to illustrate that both performance and disability have to be understood in terms of the social environments with which they are linked. (FL)

The effects of class size, classroom organization, and grade on friendship choice and clique formation were examined using cross-sectional and longitudinal sociometric data. Classroom characteristics affected friendliness and popularity, incidence of cross-sex friendships, number of social isolates per class, and number and size of cliques.…

Interviews with 1,575 persons of voting age, conducted during the three-month period following the 1974 congressional elections, suggest that Blacks are less committed to newspapers than Whites and are more dependent on television. (GT)

Current data on the role of physician knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in cost containment are reviewed; several intervention strategies and their results are presented; and recommendations are proposed for increasing the sensitivity of physicians to the financial implications of their clinical decisions. (Author/JMD)

Rochester, New York, physicians and graduate medical students' use of laboratory tests as applied to asymptomatic patients was surveyed and their knowledge of four specific screening procedures was tested. The results reinforce the impression that laboratory ordering practices are dependent in part upon factors other than knowledge of test…

This analogue study examined effects of inconsistencies between a counselor's verbal and nonverbal behaviors on client proxemic behavior and ratings of counselor genuineness. Based on role plays of 80 undergraduates with a confederate male counselor, results indicated that inconsistent messages led to greater interpersonal distances and lower…

The article considers the importance of the sexual dimension of marriage during middle age and beyond. "Traditional" and "New" norms concerning sexual behavior are examined. Implications for marriage counseling are discussed. (Author)

Loss through divorce, frequently involves a higher need for counseling than loss through death because the client frequntly receives a devalued self-concept when an active choice is made to terminate the relationship. The model presented has proven to be effective in assisting clients to reevaluate self-worth in a constructive manner. (Author)

Many of the habits a child develops are already formed by the time he or she enters first grade. In order to best insure the creation of "healthful habits", health education during the preschool years is essential. (Author)

Performance contracting is a scheme precisely delineating teacher and administrator expectations by defining the objectives to be achieved, by determining responsibility for attaining those objectives, and by assessing results to determine the extent to which desired outcomes have been achieved. (JD)