Describes a social science curriculum, "Amazing Discoveries," which meets the needs of middle school students with learning disabilities for social skills intervention, is appropriate for all students and fits in with the mandated social science curriculum. The curriculum includes 28 experiments and demonstrations that teach principles of social…

A study investigated the role of three social-awareness components (sensitivity, insight, and communication) in the employment success of 125 adolescents with mild mental retardation. Results found that all three social-awareness measures were higher for adolescents who rated higher in work performance, particularly awareness of social…

Study comparing self-reported alcohol-use patterns and the personal beliefs and expectancies about alcohol use of 385 fraternity and sorority members and 1,518 non-Greek-affiliated college students found alcohol use higher among Greek-affiliated students and highest at private parties. Peer norms and perceived benefits predicted use levels. (EMK)

Pretreatment assessment data were used to enhance an existing treatment package to reduce aggression and to increase the positive social interactions of a 9-year-old boy with moderate mental retardation and Hunter's syndrome. Additional reinforcements and punishment components were added and resulted in positive social interactions and suppressed…

Examined relationships between worksite influences and smoking and quitting behavior among adolescent grocery employees. Surveys on interpersonal, intrapersonal, and organizational factors indicated that regular smokers were 30 percent more likely to receive co-worker encouragement to quit than occasional and experimental smokers. Compared to…

Emotional intelligence and social behavior were explored in a study with 11 adolescents. Results found that those with higher emotional intelligence were better able to identify their own and others' emotions in situations, use that information to guide their actions, and resist peer pressure than others. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Discusses the paradigm of aging and society and explains how life changes and changes in the surrounding social structure influence one another. (SNR)

Examined whether social cognitions forecast change in aggressive habits over the school year for 189 third through seventh graders. Found that aggression-encouraging cognitions assessed in the fall promoted aggression over the school years, but that such developments hinged on the child's sex and on initial levels of aggression and victimization.…

Examined relations between social behavior and daily patterns of a stress-sensitive hormone production in preschool children attending center-based child care. For boys, externalizing behavior was positively associated with cortisol reactivity, while internalizing behavior was negatively associated with median (typical) cortisol. Median cortisol…

Discusses computer conferencing in higher education, presents a community of inquiry model that includes benefits of computer conferencing, and discusses social presence, defined as the ability of learners to project themselves socially and affectively into a community of inquiry. Topics include teacher immediacy, coding, and content analysis of…

Describes a technique for teaching personality theories to undergraduate psychology students where they view segments from films and use the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB) to explore interactional behavior. Presents results from a study where SASB was used in an introductory psychology course. (CMK)

This study reports marked reductions in self-injurious behavior and aggression of two adults with profound mental retardation treated with clozapine, who were non-responsive to all other behavioral and psychopharmacological interventions, including risperidone. The most effective dose was 200mg/day. Side effects were mild and the drug was…

This observational study of the social interactions of 16 children with autism or Down syndrome in their homes found that differences in the frequencies and complexities of children's behaviors depended on behavioral intent in both groups. Socially intended behaviors were less frequent, less self-initiated, and less complex in children with…

Provides a review of the literature in the area of social characteristics of children with AD/HD, and outlines interventions for working with specific social problems. Presents possible reasons for the peer rejection of AD/HD students and includes inappropriate social behavior, social knowledge deficits and biases, and negative interactions with…

Examined the relationship among "laddishness" (traditionally working-class, youthful, male social behavior by young women), social representations, and self-reported aggression among English college students. Measures of aggression correlated with holding more instrumental representations of aggression. Females indicated no relationship…