Situational influences on self-confidence and assertiveness in female and male graduate students in science and engineering were studied, based on responses from 328 Stanford University students (155 males and 173 females). Two dependent variables were used: an index of items measuring an individual's self-confidence in the ability to perform…

This paper explores the role of social rejection and peer identification in the development of deaf community, by analyzing interactions through which deaf people are alienated from hearing people and identify with other deaf people. Life history interviews were conducted with 25 graduates of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. The…

Each year thousands of children, of all ages and ethnic and economic backgrounds, are victims of sexual and physical abuse. This case book, intended for use in the training of social workers and prevention-focused program staff, parents, providers, adolescents, and others, consists of 16 cases of child abuse in Hispanic communities. The cases are…

This study was designed to provide a detailed description of toddlers' social interactions in day care settings and to identify variables that promote positive encounters among children. Twenty-four toddlers, ranging in age from 17 to 28 months, were each observed for approximately 4 hours during regular center activities. Across all center…

A study explored a number of variables related to the health decision making of 43 ninth grade students from Montana and New York. Students filled out a questionnaire which had them first read a short drinking and driving scenario and then answer questions which asked them to: (1) make a decision; (2) report how long they would take to make their…

Some research suggests that sources of social support change through the lifespan. Given that the support network changes because of both the individual's needs and the particular life stage of the individual, peer relationships may emerge as crucial sources of emotional support at different times in the lifespan. This study examined friend and…

An evaluation was made on the effects of an improved staff ratio in New Zealand kindergartens. Aspects of four typical kindergartens staffed by two teachers were compared with aspects of four kindergartens that were provided with a third teacher. Data were collected from teachers, kindergarten children and parents. Findings indicated that the…

The verbal interaction and problem-solving behavior of groups of high and average ability learners were compared during computer-assisted cooperative problem-solving to determine the problem-solving behaviors that relate to success within this context. Thirty-six fourth grade students were assigned to groups of three to form 12 groups, six of high…

A study involving 46 intellectually talented and 46 typical third graders was undertaken to assess differences in psychosocial maturity across the groups. Focus was on examining psychosocial maturity through assessment of interpersonal reasoning, which is defined as the ways children exhibit sensitivity to the feelings of others and assume…

Six students in a special education classroom at Levy Middle School (Syracuse, New York) became involved in a variety of after-school activities with nondisabled students. The students participated in the school computer club, cross-country skiing, volleyball, stage crew, intramural basketball, the Spanish Club, and after-school programs at two…

Over 150 doctoral students and faculty in U.S. programs for the study of higher education were interviewed to determine their views concerning the social context of these programs. Both faculty respondents (including program directors) and doctoral students perceived the social context of the programs to involve a plurality and diversity of…

A survey of 17 graduates of Project T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Effectiveness and Classroom Handling), an inservice education program offered through the Ontario (Canada) Public School Men Teacher's Association in conjunction with Lesley College, used closed- and open-ended questions to obtain evaluations of the project's effectiveness. Five project areas…

This handbook offers pre-planning (before school opens) guidelines for elementary school teachers. Outlines contain suggestions for considerations in the areas of: (1) facilities, personnel, and services; (2) district and school rules, procedures, and policies; (3) individual students; (4) instructional resources; (5) community resources; (6) room…

Desegregation and mainstreaming are both based on the assumption that the placement of minority and handicapped students in a classroom with majority and nonhandicapped students will facilitate positive relationships. The literature indicates that cooperation without intergroup competition promotes greater interpersonal attraction among both…

Few efforts have been made to systematically examine the impact of self-perception on the perceptions of others. To explore the extent to which the attributions made by a perceiver about another person are related to the perceiver's self-attributions, 93 white and 71 black college students were asked to engage in a 20-minute conversation with a…