Discussion of the advantages of local area networks (LANs) focuses on their use for successful cooperative learning. Individual and group assessment of success are discussed, effects on academic and affective achievement are considered, and computer-assisted instruction (CAI) programs to use with networking are suggested. (19 references) (LRW)

Examined developmental changes and individual variations in the ways children use expressive information from others. Concluded that processing deficits are more probable for younger children or for children with low perceived control than for other children. (BB)

Preservice teachers (n=75) wrote reflective essays about their experiences presenting a reflective teaching lesson that illustrated one of four different instructional domains. Analysis of the essays indicates that reflection was similar and stable across the reflective experiences, despite the instructional domain and level. (IAH)

Discusses processes in the development of shared pretend representations: adoption of shared pretend focus; metacommunication defining the activity as pretend play; and communication within pretend play. Examines claims that children's play becomes intersubjective only after three years of age. Concludes that intersubjectivity in peer pretend play…

Discusses directions for future research on the importance of emotion during adolescence. Notes that such research should include an expanded focus on the normative range of emotional expression and on related adaptive behaviors, including competencies, coping, self-esteem, and creativity. The application of research to clinical problems and…

Reported is a study examining the causes of development of mathematics anxiety in upper elementary students. Significant results indicate increased anxiety related to increased time spent on review and lower anxiety associated to small group work. The conjecture that mathematics anxiety is transmitted from teachers to students is not supported.…

A study of sixth grade boys and their families hypothesized that boys who were prone to high levels of distress but low or moderate levels of self-restraint would be particularly unlikely to agree to make considerable efforts to complete tasks that were not especially enjoyable. Results supported the hypothesis. (RH)

Relationships between anxiety toward computers and variables trait anxiety, anxiety toward mathematics, perceived impact of computers on society, and experience in using computers were studied in a sample of 81 male and 81 female university students. All of these variables were found to influence anxiety toward computers, and a significant…

The attitudes and reactions toward computers of two samples of college students from Los Angeles, California, and Hunan, People's Republic of China, were examined and compared. Results indicate that computer anxiety was present to a similar degree in both groups of students. (25 references) (Author/DB)

This paper discusses research on affective dimensions of foreign language instruction for gifted students, using Krathwohl's "Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Affective Domain" as a framework. The paper suggests behavioral objectives and specific activities to aid foreign language instruction at five levels: receiving, responding,…

This comparison of 16 hearing children of deaf parents and 16 hearing children of hearing parents found no significant difference between the 2 groups on feelings toward parents, communication with parents, and role reversal. Feelings were influenced by children's age and degree to which parents relied on them to interpret. (Author/JDD)

Examined relationships between maternal depression and children's self-concept, self-control, and peer relationships. Found that multiple risk factors, such as the father's mental state and parents' marital status, rather than maternal depression alone, explained much of the variability in children's social and emotional competence. (MDM)

Attempts at being polite can fail through unwitting violation of speech act rules (SARs). Several situations illustrate the use of "please" by Japanese users of English. The question of whose SARs should apply in intercultural communication in English is addressed. (Contains 13 references.) (Author)

Introduces computerized coding procedure that rates words and utterances in terms of emotion, cognition, and contract, as well as contingency method of analyzing verbal interactions. Rating procedure and contingency correlation analyses using transcripts of sessions conducted by three therapists with one client found that therapists' utterances…

The study of 30 young children with Down syndrome found that, compared to controls, subjects looked more often to the face of the social partner but less often to nonfocal toys. The more positive affect displayed toward people and the shorter the average looks to the partner's face, the higher the subject's verbal language skills. (Author/JDD)