Twelve papers on the emergence and maintenance of severe clinical depression and depressive symptoms during adolescence are presented. Topics include parental influences, epidemiological data, depressive and negative affect, hormonal effects, preadolescent symptoms, sex differences, longitudinal studies with rhesus monkeys, suicidal ideation,…

Infant temperament is theorized to have a strong genetic basis. Yet, studies of the stability of temperament and molecular genetics research on temperament have revealed inconsistent findings. One reason may be because research has not taken into account the influence of early social experiences. We review research on aspects of infant…

These conference proceedings consider the unique needs of gifted and talented individuals, focusing on state-of-the-art knowledge regarding school reform initiatives, cooperative learning, creative achievement, social-emotional development, differentiated curriculum, charter schools, and parenting issues. Summaries are provided of the following…

A study investigated the effects of selected psychophysiological factors known to affect cognitive functioning on the reading achievement of older adults. The subjects, 34 noninstitutionalized adults ranging in age from 50 to 88 years, completed measures of (1) self-reported mental and physical health, (2) nonverbal intelligence, (3) reading…

Reports on a laboratory experiment where students measured their heart rate, blood pressure, mood, alertness, and cognitive performance. Measures showed significant circadian heart rhythm variations. They were strongly correlated and peaked at different times. Discusses the implications of this and students' reactions to the experiment. (MJP)

Describes a demonstration that recreates the central features of taste aversion (learning to avoid distinctively flavored food or drink paired with gastrointestinal illness) research. Rats are allowed to drink a saccharine flavored solution and then are given an injection of sodium chloride. They associate the unpleasant effects with the solution.…

Seventeen years ago a group of researchers at the University of Michigan became interested in the possibility that occupational health may be determined by psychological as well as physical hazards in the work environment. This symposium reports on current work in testing a unified theory of the effects of psychosocial stresses on mental and…

Burnout in education is described in terms of system stress. Systems and their relationships are viewed at four levels: somatic, psychological, social, and cultural. "Burnout" is defined as a reduction of the function of an organism or living system. Changes in the state of a system create increased demands for adaptation. Stress is a general…

Eight reports are presented that examine some of the applications of the suggestive approach to classroom instruction: (1) "Discovering the Lozanov Method," by W. Jane Bancroft; (2) "Introduction to the Lozanov Method," by Donald H. Schuster; (3) Lozanov-type Suggestion Techniques for Remedial Reading," by Allyn Prichard;…

This study investigated the relations of personality and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) to ratings of teacher behavior, emotional stability, and general health as measured during student teaching and the 1st, 6th, and 7th years of in-service teaching for 279 female subjects. The theses tested were that (1) measures of individual differences in…

The psychophysical technique of magnitude estimation was used to develop a ratio scale of subjective estimations of adult learning in various adult education activities. A rank order of 26 learning activities and the magnitude estimations in "units of learning" that are expected to occur in each activity were obtained from 146 adult education…

One hundred twenty-eight observers randomly assigned to 16 treatment conditions in a modified Latin square design, viewed three videotapes of simulated classrooms in which teacher behavior was controlled (paralleling psychophysical procedures) to fit unambiguously into specific categories on ratings of frequency and variety of social…

ARIS is an artificial intelligence system which uses the English language to learn, understand, and communicate. The system attempts to simulate the psychoneurological processes which enable man to communicate verbally. It uses a modified stratificational grammar model and is being programed in PL/1 (a programing language) for an IBM 360/67…

Children in open and traditional classrooms were observed and tested on physiological and performance measures. The children were categorized into subgroups according to their arousal level. Analyses of variance revealed that performance of high-arousal children in open classrooms decreased over time in contrast to all other subgroups. (Author/AL)

Suggests that students' preconceptions about hunger and eating are inconsistent with contemporary theories. These theories assert that among adequately nourished individuals, hunger occurs because of pleasurable expectations of eating rather than energy deficits. Maintains that instructors should discuss the incompatibility of these preconceptions…