The paper looks at similarities and differences between instructional and social problems. Clear parallels are drawn and a basic proactive instructional plan is presented for remedying social problems in students in which educators first analyze the behavior pattern and then teach a replacement strategy. (Author/DB)

Describes a three-day group dynamics workshop which became part of a three-week summer institute designed to address the affective needs of gifted and talented adolescents. Discusses the workshop which contained activities designed to prepare the adolescents for completing communication with retirees. (Author/ABL)

Discusses the significance of emotional communication and social referencing of the mother by her infant as determinants of the infant's affective reactions to other social figures in the environment. (PCB)

In an examination of the association of shared positive affect during 2 communicative contexts, it was found that 18 normal children displayed positive affect toward an adult during joint attention situations, while 18 autistic children did not. Eighteen mentally retarded children displayed high levels of positive affect during requesting as well…

Results are reported from a study which explored which play behaviors are characteristic of the field dependent and field independent cognitive styles. Social factors underlying cognitive style and play are identified. Subjects were 300 3- to 5-year-old children. Implications for teachers and researchers are discussed. (IAH)

The feelings of non-disabled children toward their disabled siblings are explored. Children describe how they sometimes react negatively to situations involving their disabled siblings even though they understand that their reaction is not the best response. The parents' role in serving the needs of all their children is examined. (JDD)

In Europe preschools are viewed as providers of both child care and early education. Preschool programs there are optional, universally available, and designed to further children's social and cognitive development. In the advanced industrialized world, only the U.S. and Great Britain are still debating differences between care and education.…

In attempting to balance the requirements of social structure and the empowering initiative of creativity in children, numerous obstacles must be confronted, including insecurity; fear of uncertainty; ritualistic problem solving; dogmatic, dichotomous thinking; inner resourcelessness; lack of playfulness; restricted affect; forcing premature…

Examined psychosocial development in student paraprofessionals (N=22) in a college orientation program and control students (N=20) who had not been accepted into the program. Found student paraprofessionals exhibited greater gain scores than nonparticipants on interdependence and tolerance as measured by the Student Developmental Task Inventory.…

Examines the importance and development of friendships among children. Explains the value of friendships in developing sense of self and social skills. Suggests ways in which parents and teachers can be instrumental in facilitating friendships. (BAC)

In a Lilly endowment study, field notes and interviews with two elementary teachers reveal that caring relationships between teachers and students played a large role in encouraging students' academic and social development. Teachers can promote caring by helping their students in ways they value and by using stories, symbols, rituals, and…

Discusses the article by Lewis in this issue in the context of complex systems theory. Reviews several concepts of complex systems theory, including self-organization, entropy, phase transitions, stochastic processes, nonlinearity, and attractors. Notes that Lewis highlights the need for psychological models to treat nonlinear processes, chaotic…

Presents findings concerning the role of symbolic play. Assumes that symbolic play has seven functions in the child's development: cognitive, creative, ordering, stimulative, social, expressive, and substitutive. Considers play as a phenomenon that prepares children's abilities through symbolic play. (BAC)

Studied responses of children aged 48-77 months to scenarios in which a friend or an acquaintance was frightened or angry. With friends, children were more likely to report sympathetic responses and propose an intervention. With acquaintances, children were less likely to intervene and more likely to report being unaffected. (BG)

Highlights key findings described in Barrie Thorne's book, "Gender Play: Girls and Boys in School," which reports research focusing on American children in kindergarten through sixth grade. Indicates that gender segregation starts at birth and that socialization and the environment are the most salient factors in gender segregation. (AC)