Reexamines Froebel's philosophical viewpoints on children's social development in light of the significance of social forces, children's deliberate imitation of each other during play, and parent roles. Illustrates Froebel's theories on the social aspect of learning with two observations recorded by his co-workers and one letter written by Froebel…

Briefly highlights the artificial dualism between the affective and cognitive areas of human functioning in terms of history, physiology, and psychology. Previews topics of current research and theory in the area of social/emotional development. (DST)

The Symbolic Play Test was given to 31 socially impaired and 29 sociable elementary grade children retarded in language comprehension, of similar intelligence (profoundly retarded to normal). Play test age and spontaneous pretend play were similar in sociable Ss but, in the socially impaired, spontaneous pretend play was lower than play test age…

Finds that Erikson's model of ego development fails to see the relationship between individual crises and the modern postmetaphysical world view, where the meaning of life is in question. Suggests that Erikson's description of crisis and ego integration remains sound but should be tied to the specific problems associated with living in modern…

Eight stump-tailed macaques were reared individually and either given all of their daily social experience in darkness or given half in the dark and half in the light. Results suggest that vision is especially important in the maintenance of assertive behaviors and in the instigation and direction of aggressive behaviors. (Author/RH)

Four high-school-age students with autism and severe disabilities were trained to initiate and sustain social interactions with nondisabled peers at two community job sites. Results showed that all Ss acquired a chain of social break behaviors using one peer trainer. (Author/CL)

Outlines how levels of the interpretation of reality and categories of a naive theory of action that constitute these levels are differentiated and coordinated in a specific developmental sequence. Subsumed within this theoretical framework are the distinction between action on physical objects and social interaction and the distinction between…

The article examines patterns of adolescent development believed to exist among both normal and gifted students and cites issues rising from clinical and research studies, including recognition and ownership of giftedness, tension between one's performance and expectations, and low tolerance for ambiguity. (CL)

Teacher-made table and card games in which students work on such general skills areas as accepting and giving criticism or asking and answering questions can help promote positive social behaviors to handicapped students. (CL)

Preliminary indications suggested that a social skills training program featuring modeling, coaching, and role playing was effective in helping 15 autistic adolescents and adults learn to have positive peer-related social experiences. (CL)

Questionnaires completed by teachers in mainstreamed preschools and parents whose children attended mainstreamed preschools indicated no significant differences among teacher responses based on type of mainstreaming setting, but there were significant differences concerning the value of preschool mainstreaming, the social interaction of the…

Four autistic or autistic-like adolescents who participated in a family-style lunch program designed to promote appropriate interaction increased their social initiations, social responses, total words spoken per lunch period, and the mean number of words per comment. (CL)

A learning center established to serve preschool visually handicapped children and their families encourages social development, promotes the development of other senses, and provides exposure to new events and activities in an introductory school experience. (CL)

The article summarizes the contradictory evidence regarding the social and emotional stability of gifted youngsters. Finally, a research model capable of both generating empirical studies and integrating the results from diverse investigators is suggested. (Author/CL)

Thirty fourth graders assisted a nonretrded or retarded confederate in constructing an erector set. Ss were classified into high, moderate, or low role-taking groups. Significant associations were found between levels of role-taking and key prosocial behaviors, and distinctions between high and moderate/low role takers were revealed. (Author/CL)