The purpose of this study was to determine if an effective conservation training procedure would be one in which a child was confronted with opposing points of view. Subjects were 108 children with a mean age of 6.7 years. In two experiments, a group of three children (generally one nonconserver and two conservers) was required to respond with one…

The group discussion literature was examined to determine how fully its principles had incorporated social power principles, and to incorporate relevant power principles into the principles of group discussion. Discussion principles were classified by properties of group members, properties of groups, conditions imposed on groups, interaction…

The booklet considers principles of short-term group treatment to help parents of handicapped children with problems of emotional adjustment and child management. The value of a parents' group is seen to lie in the purposeful use of group dynamics and group processes by trained leader. Discussed are the role of the group leader; the process of…

This study examines the use of group methods in adoption practice. Already in use during intake and post-placement, group methods are now proving relevant in the adoptive study of applicant parents and in the improved knowledge and effectiveness of service delivery. In the form of a seminar for applicants, this adoptive study explores the…

In an attempt to set up a heuristic model for the study of attitude formation and change, this paper takes into consideration man's cognitive-environmental interfaces and man's capacity to process information. By conceptualizing attitude, the authors anticipate that they will be able to offer a potential for solving attitude-behavior conflict. (DS)

Group members tend to like other members of their own group more than members of groups to which they do not belong. This paper focuses on some of the initial determinants of this own-group preference and on the isolation of factors which increase or decrease it. The major finding appears to be that the mere anticipation of cooperation or…

The present experiment provided a test of Fiedler's (1967) Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness, i.e., the relationship of leader style to group effectiveness is mediated by situational demands. Thirty-two 4 man task groups composed of military academy cadets were run in the experiment. In accordance with the Contingency Model, leaders…

This paper is an analysis of some of the literature concerning group mediated risk taking. Jhangiani explores Brown's V-theory, which states that members of a society try to realize its cultural ideals in their behavior; Nordhoy's theory of cultural values, which states that "In the group, the impact of values which are commonly accepted in the…

A guide for achieving effective two-way communication is presented. Its scope includes the following: (1) a discussion of the importance of effective two-way communication, (2) an examination of the ways in which communication works and some of the reasons for its failure, (3) an examination of the role of the supervisor as a key figure in…

This study explores a student-centered alternative to current objectives and procedures in secondary English. Chapter one argues that current school practices do not meet special needs of children and society in complex human problem solving, and chapter two asserts that traditional English teaching often thwarts creativity and intensifies social…

The National Women's Political Caucus is presented as the instrument on which the entire feminist movement will depend for leadership and eventual success. Development of the organization is described in the context of Rosenwasser's classification system of rhetorical analysis. The goals, tactics, and strategies of the Caucus are also discussed.…

The project investigated aspects of group dynamics and group behavior with mentally retarded adolescents, aged 18 to 25 years with a mental age ranging from 3 to 7 years, who worked in citriculture in Israel. The report began with an examination of the peer group principle, its relationship to childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, and its…

To study the effect of democratic and autocratic leadership styles upon the commitment and productivity of voluntary adult groups, eight tenant councils, composed of approximately six persons each, were selected to serve as experimental groups. Trained researchers acting as discussion leaders for each council functioned as either democratic or…

This report reviews recent innovations in the application of group processes in educational settings. The innovations deal with the use of group dynamics in the teacher learning process and in the improvement of interpersonal relations with students, teachers, and administrators. The report surveys relevant U.S. literature since 1965,…

The report contains topics included in a plan for research on academic groups and collectives which might be as follows: The mechanism for regulating the effectiveness of people's interactions and conditions governing the selection and recruitment for academic groups and collectives; Methods of evaluating the social-psychological characteristics…