Studied children's use of justification in disputes with their mothers and siblings and its relation to the social and emotional context of family disputes. Found children used justification in one third of their disputes by 36 months, and children's use of justification differed according to the topic of the dispute. (SKC)

Argues for the need to provide more counseling services to families with disabled children. Describes three basic frameworks, considered necessary for counseling professionals, including understanding (1) the parent-professional relationship, (2) the psychological functioning of individuals, and (3) the process of counseling. (Author/DST)

Three vignettes are used to illustrate the varied backgrounds of the "invisible" or overlooked child in the classroom. Discusses the causes of social isolation in elementary-age children; suggests teaching activities that help to identify and deal with related problems, including an example of a sociometric test and scoring procedures.…

Presents a six-step instructional model designed to help elementary students examine and apply common social rules. Includes five sample lessons that demonstrate the use of the model. (JDH)

Describes experiments in which microcomputers were placed in large and small preschool classrooms to examine which free-play activities were and were not affected by microcomputer's presence, sex differences in microcomputer preference and use, social interactions occurring around microcomputers, and whether these interactions differ in frequence…

Studies the frequency with which preschool children used 11 play centers, engaged in social and nonsocial activities in each play center, and interacted positively and negatively with each other. (HOD)

Examines the relationship between the mother's presence in the nursery school and the child's interactions with peers and adults. Findings reveal that children spend significantly more time interacting with peers and less time with adults in the absence of the parents. (Author/AS)

Discusses issues in functional approaches to language teaching and describes two experiments on the social factors involved in the language functions of requesting, thanking, greeting, and taking leave. Considers what the data from the experiments mean for second-language learning and teaching in terms of syllabus design and teaching techniques.…

The behavior of 19 decision-making groups provided the basis for a model of the development of norms in newly formed groups. Data from the decision-making groups are used to illustrate the model, and implications for related research domains are discussed. Appended are 39 references. (MLF)

Describes a study done to determine which intonational parameters are most important to the meaning being conveyed within different social settings. Defines the factors that appear to influence the use of pitch and/or intensity prominence on negative words. Found that, in many situations, interactional rules take precedence over linguistic rules.…

Describes the use of sociograms and computer analysis of sociometric data in order to evaluate the progress of Springfield, Massachusetts, public schools toward racial integration. Also shows how these techniques can be used to encourage racial integration at the classroom level. (GC)

Criticizes Dorval and Eckerman (included in this issue) for their findings' lack of generality due to the artificial nature of the conversational groups studied. Also both age changes in the ability to plan large conversational units and the functions of particular kinds of turns within these larger units are left unexplored. (CB)

Recent laboratory work has suggested a defensive attribution interpretation of the attribution of responsibility following an accident. A questionnaire was devised concerning a campus stabbing incident in which one girl suffered severe consequences. Results were compatible with defensive attribution. (Author)

Identifies teaching techniques for implementing social participation skills among elementary school students. Problems of perception and decision making among young children are discussed. (Author/DB)

Student participants in a work internship program experienced significant positive changes in feelings of personal and social efficacy. (Available from Plenum Publishing Corporation, 227 West 17 Street, New York, N.Y. 10011; $65.00 annually.) (Author/MLF)