Examined observer error in attitude attribution. Subjects appeared to have invested essays, written under assignment, with diagnostic value on the presumption of a correlation between the strength of the essay and the writer's attitude. Suggests that attribution error is based on the inclination to adopt a diagnostic judgmental set. (Author)

One hundred and fifty-six children between the ages of 18 and 76 months were observed three times for 10 minutes each during free play in an attempt to describe the helping behavior of preschool children. (Author/RH)

Provides a description of writing instruction in the classrooms of eight elementary school teachers that was developed through the procedure of progressive coding. Calls into question some common assumptions about writing instruction and the present institutional ways of supporting it. (HOD)

The effects of cooperative versus individualistic learning experience were compared on interethnic interaction among fourth-grade students. Results indicated that cooperative learning experiences promote more cross-ethnic interaction in both instructional and free-time activities. (Author/GK)

To test the general reliability and validity of the Triangulation Interview Form (TIF), 52 observers viewed a videotape simulation of an interview situation. Agreement among observers for each of 16 TIF questions ranged from 85 to 98 percent. Observers significantly discriminated between eight behaviors judged complete and eight behaviors judged…

A synthesis is presented of the work of Lindblom and Cohen, MacDonald and Walker, and the current authors. The synthesis considers issues in the usefulness of social science theory and research, and how observer roles in qualitative field studies yield multiple kinds of usable knowledge to a variety of audiences. (Author/BW)

Examines the relationship between cognitive functioning (as measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development) and the symbolic play levels of Down's syndrome children. Symbolic play level was more highly correlated with mental age than with chronological age. Performance on the Infant Behavior Record was also highly correlated with symbolic…

Explores the roles that interpretation plays in qualitative research and theory building and considers three types of interpretation: patterning, social meanings, and external considerations. Also explores criteria for judging interpretations, and the issues of objectivity/subjectivity and universality/generalizability of interpretive science.…

Reports about on-site observations of student-teacher interaction for 50 college classes. Points to a need for testing a variety of variables in addition to sex before conclusions are drawn about sex-related behavior. (Author/DA)

Observation indicated that children most frequently represent objects by performing actions appropriate to the represented objects. With increasing age, children represent objects without using functional actions and with objects bearing little physical similarity to the represented objects. (Author/DB)

Illustrates the uses of multiple assessment techniques for severely retarded adults and reviews current instrumentation issues relevant to program evaluation. (PHR)

Examines peer influences on the sex-role development of preschoolers. The occurrence of sex-stereotyped activities and peer responses to them were observed in a naturalistic setting. (CM)

The quality of play that 26 toddlers engaged in was examined in four successive social settings: (1) mother-child; (2) child alone; (3) mother, child, peer; (4) child-peer. Results are discussed in terms of how the social setting and the sex of the child influence play behavior. (Author/DB)

Women pregnant with their first child were observed interacting with an infant labeled as either a boy or a girl. Toy use and other maternal behaviors were examined as a function of gender label, women's attitudes regarding gender differences, and infant behavior. (Author/DB)

The Coping Inventory, an observation instrument designed to assess the behavior and skills of handicapped children, is described. The 48-item inventory is divided into two categories--self and environment; each category is subdivided into three dimensions--productive, active, and flexible. (PHR)