Reviews strategies and techniques to enhance prosocial development. Suggests ways for involving whole classrooms, entire school systems, parents, and communities in creating classroom and home climates for prosocial expectations and learner support. Gives specific activities, strategies, guidelines, and resources. (ET)

Investigated effects of day-care quality--in interaction with child and family characteristics--on socioemotional development at 29 months and again at 4 years. Results showed a main effect of day-care quality on expressions of positive emotions. Interactive effects were demonstrated for several of the other indicators of socioemotional…

Discusses elements of high-quality play related to time, space, experiences, and materials. Also discusses effective methods of adult-child interaction in the play setting and the importance of adults being very conscious of their role in the endeavor. (JW)

Suggests that the educational system in the United States needs to undergo significant reform. Specifically, education should be viewed not only as a means to an end that teaches basic skills for employment but also as a process that enhances social development and self-actualization. (MDM)

Calls for a "renaissance in civility," discussing definitions of civility and the need to encourage manners and responsible behavior in children and adolescents. Argues that it is essential that elementary school children develop social awareness and social skills and that secondary school students be encouraged to take a more active part in their…

Surveys the literature on the importance of social skills acquisition. Cites factors that influence social competence formation, including parental characteristics and quality of preschool care or interventions. Suggests that students lacking social competence risk peer rejection, academic failure, and later social and emotional problems. Includes…

Examines the differences between Gordon Allport's and W. E. B. DuBois's theories on the origins of prejudice and the impact of discrimination on the personality and social development of blacks. The article argues that prejudice is a historically developed process, not a universal feature of human psychology. Implications for U.S. race relations…

Relationships were examined between measures of shyness and self-esteem for 53 preschool children. Shyness was negatively related to a self-esteem rating and to a measure of the child's expectations of self-efficacy in performing motor tasks. Continued attention to early shyness in empirical, theoretical, and practical work is suggested. (Author)

Studied effects of previous amount of day care on social adjustment of children in kindergarten. Parents provided child histories; children were later assessed by teachers, peers, and observers. Children with higher day care (in 0-1, 1-4, and 4-5 years categories) scored higher on negative adjustment and lower on positive adjustment assessments in…

Discusses the effects of gender segregation, which emerges in early childhood, on later adolescent and adult relationships. Suggests that communication and power relations in male-female relationships are likely to be influenced by gender differences in social norms. Provides recommendations for parents and teachers interested in encouraging…

Tested a triple-interaction hypothesis predicting problems of adolescent adjustment. Data obtained from Japanese 14-year-olds, parents, and teachers provided measures of parent-adolescent cohesion, parent socialization values, and 4 personality clusters. Found that lowest Resilient Impulse Control and Interpersonal Warmth scores were obtained for…

Children ages 3 to 5 were tested for their cognitive style (field dependence independence) and their play behaviors were observed and recorded. Results suggest that recognition of distinct play elements that have strong relationships with cognitive style can motivate and guide the development of optimal environments for young children's play and…

Views school readiness as an ideological issue affecting American society and dominated by middle-class white values, which results in different treatment for middle-class students and "deficient students." Advocates moving away from a two-tiered system of education and toward a more democratic form of schooling that recognizes multiple…

Preschool children (n=32) were evaluated in an unstructured play session, matched for levels of appropriate or inappropriate social behavior, and assigned to a treatment or control condition. The treatment group conditions involved positive reinforcement, modeling, rehearsal, feedback, and time out. Although prosocial behaviors were successfully…

Popular and rejected fourth grade children viewed vignettes that depicted a provocation between two children in which the provocateur's intention was ambiguous. Information about the provocateur's affect was provided. Popular, but not rejected, children modified their interpretations of the provocateur's intent based on the affective information…