Investigates whether children imitate when motivated to attain a desired positive reaction from a model. (Author/SS)

Preschool children with low levels of social responsiveness were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: (1) watching videotapes of social interactions accompanied by a first-person sound track which described the activities of the child model, (2) watching the same videotapes accompanied by a third-person sound track, (3) a nature-film control…

Tests the relation of agency, communion, and their unmitigated counterparts to the depression vulnerabilities of sociotropy and autonomy, and the role of these variables in predicting dysphoria. After controlling for vulnerabilities, agency was inversely related to measures of dysphoria and negative affect, whereas unmitigated agency was…

Focuses on the critical use of technology in online formats that entail relatively new teaching media. Argues that distributed learning theory is valuable for teachers of online business communication courses for several reasons. Discusses the application of distributed learning theory to the teaching of business communication online. (SG)

Examines narcissistic communication and the ways it is exhibited in everyday conversation. Identifies the following behavioral referents: boasting, refocusing the topic of conversation on the self, exaggerating hand and body movements, using a loud tone of voice, and "glazing over" when others speak. Suggests that conversational…

Examined effects of social objects on smile production in 44 infants aged 1 1/2 years. Infants directed most of the smiles produced during nonsocial activity to an attentive social object. Although smiling frequency was lower when the only potential recipient was inattentive, the effect did not appear to be mediated by negative emotion. (RJC)

Examines the use and value of outdoor places by teenagers in Sunshine, Australia. Original research, including surveys with 101 teens and behavior observations of valued teen places, and a comparison with a similar study conducted almost 20 years earlier is reported. (LZ)

Discusses contributions of E. O. Wilson and others to the development of sociobiology. Considers sociobiology's origins, the study of social behavior, the inclusive fitness theory of behavior, haplodiploidy, reciprocal altruism, ecological perspectives, species richness, social evolution, societal explanations for infanticide, sociobiology and the…

Social toys and isolate toys were presented to 24 children (ages 3-5). The older children displayed more social interactions in the social toy condition than did other ages. Disabled subjects displayed more social interactions in the social toy condition than isolate toy condition. Nondisabled subjects had more social interactions in both toy…

Argues that suicide is an idea, having much in common with societal beliefs/norms. Discusses evidence supportive of suicide as idea, based on knowledge from study of history and culture, and about contagion/cluster phenomena, media/communication, and choice of method. Suggests that certain individuals are more vulnerable to incorporate idea/act of…

Identified how 20 preschool children attempted to exert dominance over peers. Found that verbal assertiveness was the most frequently employed, though least successful, dominance strategy. Physical assertiveness was successful when a child exhibited athletic superiority. The use of theme plays was the most successful strategy in eliciting a…

Maintains that Shweder, Helwig, and the other respondents to Gabennesch attribute to Gabennesch a denial of moral law and that this is a misinterpretation of the argument. Maintains that the critics deny the implications of the social construction of reality, leading them to reject the concept of transparency. Describes alleged shortcomings of the…

Argues that Truman Capote's nonfiction novel "In Cold Blood" serves as a case study of a psychopath through its close examination of the entire constellation of antisocial personality traits of the murderer, Richard Hickock. Suggests this best-seller conforms to established medical authority while maintaining its popular appeal. (NH)

Objective: To test that methylphenidate combined with intensive multimodal psychosocial intervention, which includes social skills training, significantly enhances social functioning in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared with methylphenidate alone and methylphenidate plus nonspecific psychosocial treatment…

A formal model of social norms with multiple equilibria is estimated using data from the Add-Health Survey of 20,000 U.S. high school students. The results suggest that there is considerable diversity in social norm equilibria, with only some schools enforcing norms against sexual activity.