The type of study proposed by Cronback for studying aptitude-treatment interactions (ATIs) has proved to be disappointing in several respects: it produces ATIs that do not replicate, that are not especially interesting, and that are difficult to use in practice. Glass's meta-analysis methodology, although developed for a different purpose,…

The past 20 years of research into the efficacy of advance organizers has resulted in little empirical support for their use. A primary reason for this lack of strong support is the absence of true objective descriptions and definitions of the organizers used and the concomitant poor control over their derivation and construction. This deficiency…

Presented are summaries of various activities within a seminar organized by Unesco at Cali, Colombie, to examine scientific aspects of the mangrove ecosystem and the human impact upon it. Specifically, the aims of the seminar were: (1) to review studies on mangroves being carried out in Latin America and the Caribbean; (2) to foster contacts…

Two papers are presented which were originally prepared for delivery at a conference to evaluate the results of 20 years of scholarly exchange between the United States, the USSR, and Eastern Europe. Participants included over 300 members of the public affairs community, including government officials, public policy makers, business leaders,…

Many students are not skilled "thinkers" or "problem solvers." Extensive research has been conducted to describe the mental processes involved in problem solving in the hope of establishing a theoretical basis for training students to become more adept at reasoning. Certain problems become evident, however, when reviewing literature for designing…

This paper examines ways in which interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary analysis of global policy studies can increase understanding of complex global problems. Until recently, social science has been the discipline most often turned to for techniques and methodology to analyze social problems and behaviors. However, because social science…

This review of research points out how storybooks may affect a variety of children's behaviors, including language, achievement, and pedestrian skills. Additionally, ways that children's comprehension of storybook material may be increased are indicated. Directions for future research and practice are suggested. (Author/RH)

The phenomenon of crowd behavior at sports events is examined in this paper. Previous treatments of why spectators enjoy watching sports events are examined, showing that these studies have largely ignored the potential role of intraaudience influence processes. A brief literature review notes the role of feedback between the communication event…

The success of Philadelphia's "What Works in Reading?" report shows how educational research can be a catalyst for school change and indicates a way for school districts to institutionalize this process. Ten factors were associated with the report's immediate impact on educational policy: identification of the research clients, topical…

Concepts of existential/phenomenology philosophy more closely reflect women's experience of the world and provide a better base for a feminist science of psychology. Womens' experience includes basic cooperation, nurturance, empathy, and egalitarian morality. Logical positivist psychology discriminates against women by excluding inner experiencing…

Based on a review of all organizational communication research published in 33 professional journals between 1966 and 1978, this essay describes the current status of the investigation of organizational communication. The first part of the essay is organized around Elwood Murray's model of a discipline and employs the typologies suggested by G.…

An example of how the quality of research on small groups could be enhanced is to develop a framework of scholarship around a series of hierarchical guiding questions concerning the functions of communication in the small group, the characteristics of the behavior and of the producers of that behavior that determine the extent to which particular…

The willingness of interactants to disclose information about themselves in relationships from which they wish to disengage was compared with their willingness to self-disclose in relationships they wish to maintain. The subjects, 102 college students, were randomly assigned to one of four hypothetical scenarios: one in which the respondent wished…

This paper assesses the current status of anthropological contributions to research on child development. The data are provided by the Interagency Research Information System (IRIS), which contains computerized information about most of the research projects on children and adolescents funded by the federal government. Key elements of the…

It is important for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reexamine its policy research goals and processes and to encourage the entry of economists into the regulatory process. The entire regulatory structure of the FCC should be reappraised; regulation should be used to help the natural forces of the marketplace function more…