Studied effects of verbal accounts offered by a threatener on targets' (N=82) subsequent attributions of the threatener's social motives. Results showed a cooperative account led to an inference of cooperative disposition, a transrelational equity account led to attribution of deceit, and an excuse of ignorance was linked with apathy. (WAS)

To modify hearing preschoolers' refusals to interact with profoundly deaf peers, a three-week training program was provided. Training for hearing children included discussions about the meaning of deafness, an opportunity to practice communication techniques, and free-play interactions with deaf children. Hearing children did not respond…

Investigated the relationship between anomie theory, as measured by Srole's Anomie Scale, and self-admitted drug use in an adult population (N=1,449). Bivariate cross-comparison correlations indicated anomie was significantly correlated with several drug variables, but these associations were extremely weak and of little explanatory value.…

Examined the hypothesis that the higher the divorce rate, the more likely that unhappy couples will terminate their marriages. Shows that when type of sample, dependent measure, and method of analysis are held constant, the increased divorce rate is not an important factor in explaining marital satisfaction. (Author)

Presents an historical survey of various theoretical schools in social psychology in the United States and divides them into two classes: the social psychology of the individual and that of the relation or group. Asserts that those theories which emphasize the individual are inadequate to explain social behavior. (Author/APM)

Assigned undergraduates to groups defined by combination of factors: opportunity to cheat, type of competition, subject Machiavellianism (Mach). Cheating occurred in opportunity to cheat, impersonal competition, high Mach group and in opportunity to cheat, personal competition, low Mach group. Extends research to situations where subjects cheated…

Describes a research project which taught social skills to children who did not have friends in school. (RM)

The effects of remarriage on the parent's and the child's social behavior were studied by comparing 12 children whose biological mothers had remarried, 12 children whose mothers were divorced but had not remarried, and 12 children from intact, father-present families. (Author/RH)

Studies the distribution of attention to actors in a visual event and the influence of linguistic variables on attention. Naming an actor had a strong directing influence on attention in a neutral period and more limited effects on attention during and after the action. (RMH)

When the findings of sociobiology and ethology are properly interpreted, they are surprisingly compatible with commonsense ethical values, adding to our understanding of moral and ethical principles as an essential element of human social behavior. This paper provides a brief overview of the broader scientific interpretation to illustrate this…

The amount of adult direction was experimentally manipulated, and its effects on social and exploratory behaviors were examined. Children from preschools with varying levels of adult-directed activity were included in the study to assess parallels in the effect of adult direction in experimental and naturally occurring school situations.…

A simplified theory of the borderline-narcissistic personality is outlined as a stable configuration that can be located along a continuum of mental health functioning. Also described is a rating scheme used to test the applicability of this theory to practice. (Author)

To investigate the involvement of spatial and social density in the appreciation of humor, adolescents participated under conditions of high and low spatial density. High spatial density was found to significantly diminish appreciation of three humor types. Significant sex and age differences in reactivity to spatial density were also found.…

A study of 60 university students supported the hypothesis that Black culture and White culture have specific and conflicting meanings attached to eye contact. Blacks who do not recognize the White dominant culture's rule regarding eye contact could find themselves at a disadvantage in social, educational, and employment situations. (Author/GC)

Assessed the influence of the attractiveness of a forbidden toy and the relative attractiveness of the remaining nonforbidden toys for third and fourth graders. (Author/SS)