The topic of altruistic behavior is an important one in studying the evolution of behavior. It is questioned whether natural selection can actually favor patterns of behavior that apparently do not favor the survival of the individual. Game theory models are presented to help explore the problem. (MA)

This article addresses the following questions: (1) What are the aims and claims of contemporary sociobiology? (2) How does the enterprise fit into the history of ideas? and (3) Does sociobiology have the earmarks of being the beginning of a major synthesis? (Author/AM)

The dangers of a sociobiological approach to the problem of mind are discussed. (Author/AM)

Results from an investigation of 614 adolescents' ratings of forms of child and pet maltreatment indicated that adolescents were highly critical of acts which constitute maltreatment, more critical of abusive than neglectful acts, less tolerant of child abuse than pet abuse, but more tolerant of physical force directed toward a child if they had…

Stamps can enhance the curriculum for gifted students and serve as an exciting introduction to a new hobby as well as a mechanism for developing skills of self-directed learning. Suggestions for followup activities using theme stamp albums (famous persons, science and scientists, animals, and transportation) are given. (CB)

Provides background information for teachers on the physical and physiological characteristics of fruit flies. Explains their role and function in the study of heredity. Upholds their value as a manageable and safe laboratory animal. (ML)

Reviews studies that suggest certain relationships between sex and the attitudes of elementary, secondary, and college students' attitudes toward animal preferences and animal welfare. Implications of these studies for human education curriculum and instruction are considered. (JN)

Discusses issues related to the role of the zoo in environmental education. Suggests that zoos must learn to interpret their collections (through better enclosure, design, graphics, labels, and guides) to influence attitudes of visitors toward the natural world and to become aware of the community's educational needs. (JN)

Deals with various myths about animals and plants. Discusses bats (not blind), toads (do not cause warts), dragonflies (will not sew up your mouth), horseshoe crabs (will not sting with their tails), owls (not so smart), and goldenrod (does not cause hayfever). (MH)

Described is an exercise involving the measurement of temperature in a peripheral tissue, brown adipose, that is readily accessible in the laboratory rat. (RM)

Discusses a theory suggesting that large-scale extinctions of marine animal families occur in cycles of 26 million years. Research methodology consisted of analyzing and charting fossil records showing the decline and disappearance of these animals over the past 250 million years. Other theories are considered. (BC)

Provides examples of animals in which growth occurs without cell division. Indicates that this phenomenon (called cell constancy or eutely) is an oddity of development that has arisen independently in several animal groups. (JN)

Attempts to emphasize some of the rather precise analytic and predictive values of evolutionary theory, applied to parental behavior. (Author/RK)

Four experiments tested the conditioned attention theory (CAT) of latent inhibition (LI). (Author/RK)

Proteins isolated from the brain and used as drugs can improve and apparently even transfer mental states and behavior. Much of the pioneering work and recent research with humans and animals is reviewed and crucial questions that are being posed about the psychologically active peptides are related. (BT)