Playfulness, a personality trait consisting of sense of humor, manifest joy, and spontaneity, was demonstrated to relate to divergent thinking at the kindergarten and high-school levels. The differential valence given to it by kindergarten-teachers and JHS- and HS-teachers was discussed in relation to creative potential. There was a consensus of…

A self-instructional book covers ten steps toward development of a behavior observation system. Units describe how to interpret graphs, convert information from table to graph form, put collected data into a table, compute the reliability of observational data, make observations with four recording methods, construct an observational system,…

Each of 7,056 children (3,607 boys and 3,449 girls) attending regular elementary school classes were rated by their fourth grade teacher and again by their sixth grade teacher to determine the prevalence of persistent emotional disturbances within the student population of 17 public school districts. Based on teachers' ratings of the student's…

The author conducted two studies of disturbed adolescents in an effort to specify the precursors of severe psychopathology in adulthood, particularly the schizophrenic spectrum of disorders. In the prospective study 35 disturbed adolescents were followed for a five-year period from age 16 to 21. Numerous measures were taken on the target…

The research reported here is an attempt to explore the attitudes of students in high schools and to take a look at the hidden curriculum and its political dimensions. The analysis is divided into an exploration and categorization of different types of schools, a definition of different kinds of attitudes and behavior on the part of students, and…

The Contact Action Space (CAS) of an individual, or group of individuals, has a significant impact on the location of activities and the organization of the use of space. Beginning with the most basic components of a CAS, the individual behavior pattern element is developed, and operational variations affecting alignment and configuration are…

Compared was the self-reported delinquent behavior among representative samples of approximately 1,400 American Boys and girls (13-to 16-years-old) during national surveys in 1967 and 1972. Adolescent Ss from 48 states were individually interviewed by a young adult of the same sex. Results indicated an increase in illicit drug (primarily…

This study of disciplinary offenders at Texas Tech University was conducted in order to provide information for areas of the campus which deal with various disciplinary activities. The research was limited to those students who had been either suspended or given probation for violating a University regulation. The total sample consisted of 938…

An experimental test of visual closure based on an information-theory concept of perception was devised to test the ability to discriminate visual stimuli with reduced cues. The test is to be administered in a timed individual situation in which the subject is presented with sets of incomplete drawings of simple objects that he is required to name…

A series of short articles gives suggestions for new Bureau of Indian Affairs teachers preparing to teach Navajo children in Arizona. The topics considered include 1) Navajo children as they are the first day (week, two weeks) of school, from beginners through eighth graders; 2) a beginning teacher's first impressions of Navajo high school…

This forum identified some of the factors influencing the emergence of identity during the critical childhood years. To help a child develop a healthy identity which is both favorable and realistic, he must be taught almost from birth about his own individuality. The many aspects of total identity include family, physical self, sex, ethnic and…

Since it is difficult to determine behavior categories for students in the North Carolina Advancement School, the Devereus Behavior Rating Scale was revised to fill this void. After analyzing results on the complete test, four factors were picked which seemed most descriptive of underachievers: aggression, alienation, anxiety, and activity. A…

The use of reinforcement as a treatment technique by a counselor is demonstrated. Its purpose is two-fold: (1) to evaluate the effectiveness of the technique; and (2) to actively involve the participant in the demonstration. A pre-test involves presentation of a hypothetical situation from which the participant is to select: (1) problem behaviors;…

Both mother and teacher are social agents in the child's environment and provide the foci for the two separate, but related, ongoing studies on reinforcement patterns described in this paper. The specimen record is the primary method used to obtain data. For the study of children at home, the sample includes 24 3-year-old children from lower…

This paper explores behavior patterns of lower class black adolescents and contends that their seemingly illogical and irrational behavior is, in fact, meaningful and utilitarian within the context of their environments. The effects of social and residential segregation and the lack of stable social institutions reinforce strong feelings of group…