Media as social partners: the social nature of young children's learning from screen media

Television has become a nearly ubiquitous feature in children's cultural landscape. A review of the research into young children's learning from television indicates that the likelihood that children will learn from screen media is influenced by their developing social relationships with on-screen characters, as much as by their developing perception of the screen and their symbolic understanding and comprehension of information presented on screen. Considering the circumstances in which children under 6 years learn from screen media can inform teachers, parents, and researchers about the important nature of social interaction in early learning and development. The findings reviewed in this article suggest the social nature of learning, even learning from screen media.     

Increasing social interaction between an isolate first grader and cross-cultural peers

Positive social interactions between an isolate, white first grader and socially active, Indian first graders were experimentally increased. The procedure involved three five-minute observation periods, approximately one-third of which were followed by brief feedback statements, and one 30-second feedback period a day, which consisted of brief instructions plus delivery of a tangible reinforcer contingent upon positive social interaction. Results of a multiple baseline design across three supervised, unstructured settings showed that the child's rate of positive social interaction increased to above that of the Indian peer recommended as the highest-rate interactor by the teacher. The increase in behavior maintained across a period of six months.     

African American and European American children in diverse elementary classrooms: social integration, social status, and social behavior

With a sample of African American and European American 3rd- and 4th-grade children (N = 486, ages 8-11 years), this study examined classroom ethnic composition, peer social status (i.e., social preference and perceived popularity as nominated by same- and cross-ethnicity peers), and patterns of ethnic segregation (i.e., friendship, peer group, and cross-ethnicity dislike). African American--but not European American--children had more segregated relationships and were more disliked by cross-ethnicity peers when they had fewer same-ethnicity classmates. African American children's segregation was positively associated with same-ethnicity social preference and perceived popularity and with cross-ethnicity perceived popularity. European American children's segregation was positively associated with same-ethnicity social preference but negatively associated with cross-ethnicity social preference and perceived popularity.     

Multiple sources of data on social behavior and social status in the school: a cross-age comparison

Behavioral data relating to peer social status were collected from peers, teachers, and observers on both first- and third-grade boys (ages 6-7 and 8-9 years, respectively). Peer and teacher ratings had greater intermethod agreement than observer data, although all 3 sources provided evidence that rejected and controversial boys were more aggressive than other boys. However, relatively little aggression was observed among the older boys, indicating that peers and teachers may be better sources of information about aggression in this group. Observational data differentiated among status groups on measures of activity (on task vs. off-task, and prosocial play vs. solitary activity) for both age groups. Rejected boys displayed little prosocial behavior according to peers and teachers, but were not less often engaged in prosocial play, according to observers. Neglected boys were the most solitary group during play; however, teachers rated rejected boys as the most solitary, contrary to observations. Controversial boys were seen as highly aggressive by all sources but as highly prosocial only by peers and observers.     

Sexual behavior and social education in China

The application on a massive scale of various population, family planning, sex education measures in China is a societal feature that is quickly evident to the country's visitors. For anyone concerned with population limitation on a national scale, the Chinese experiments and progress are of particular interest. In China there is a clearly discernible 3 step program: the minimization of sexual interest or enforced "national abstinence standard" in the teen years; a period of intense propaganda to postpone marriage until the mid 20s and avoid sexual intercourse outside marriage; and a concerted educational campaign aimed predominantly at married females for the 20 year span covering the fertile ages of approximately 25-45 to limit families. The Chinese approach to family planning and sexual education is direct and ubiquitous. One of the more paradoxical aspects of China's campaign to enforce their severe and particular natalist policy is the relatively high level of preventive sex knowledge among young married couples and the virtual absence of any major form of sex education for teenagers in the schools. In the past few years there has been a modest yet detectable change in this approach. Some middle school students are now being introduced, albeit on a sexually segregated basis, to somewhat wider aspects of population knowledge and human population studies. For the most part these units fall into the traditional teaching areas utilized in many western nations, i.e., physiology, biology, and physical education courses. The development and expansion of such courses may foreshadow the gradual introduction nationally of new material into the middle schools, but the predominant aim of sex education will remain the limitation and control of population. Some of the answers to sex education questions posed by this author in various schools and to a range of senior education officials are reported. The answers represent a recent sample, extracted from a number gathered during various visits to China in the past 3 years. The topic of sex education is viewed within special parameters. The target for sex education, particularly as it relates to birth control, will remain for the foreseeable future the young adult of marriageable age.     

Observations and ratings of preschool children's social behavior: Issues of representativeness and validity

Data were gathered from videotaped recordings of two preschool children engaged in unstructured free play over 12 days each. Observers coded behavior from the videotapes and completed a behavior rating scale for each child after every two observation sessions. Teachers also completed two behavior rating scales per child. Results indicated that at least three 30‐min observation sessions were required to reliably represent a child's overall behavior. Moderate correlations were obtained when observations were compared with teachers' and observers' own ratings, indicating the behavior rating scale did an adequate job of reflecting actual observed behavior. The implications of these results for researchers and practitioners are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 13–26, 2005.     

Cost efficacy of two social learning training procedures with withdrawn/isolate children

This investigation compared the cost effectiveness of two approaches—the social learning approach and the social learning approach with reinforcement—to increase the frequency of targeted social skills with socially withdrawn/isolate children. Twelve grade three subjects were selected whose mean score was higher than 2.00 on the social withdrawal subscale of the Walker Problem Behavior Identification Checklist. The frequency of four behaviours—asking questions, giving directions, praising and encouraging, and social other—were observed and compared to the frequency of behavior of an “average” peer. The results indicated that the social learning approach paired with reinforcement for teaching targeted social skills was more cost effective, thus more feasible for classroom application.     

Perceptions of control over social outcomes and student behavior

Locus of control and classroom behavior data were gathered from 223 randomly selected students in 75 senior high and junior high school classrooms. The major purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between LOC orientation regarding social outcomes and two types of classroom behavior: considerate vs. hostile, and task-oriented vs. distractible. Results showed moderate positive correlation between internality and both Considerate and Task-Oriented behavior. The strongest relationship observed was that between perceptions about the teacher's control over negative outcomes and the students' behavior. Differences in relations were observed for males and females.     

Links between empathy,social behavior,and social understanding in early childhood

The purpose of the current investigation was to examine both social behaviors (i.e., aggression, shyness-withdrawal, and prosocial tendencies) and social understanding (i.e., attitudes and responses to such behaviors in hypothetical peers) of empathic and low-empathic children. Participants were 136 children in kindergarten and grade one. Parents completed ratings of child empathy, shyness, aggression, and prosocial tendencies. Children were presented with vignettes depicting prosocial, aggressive, or shy peers, and asked questions concerning their understanding and responses towards these behaviors. Results indicated that as compared to low-empathic peers, more empathic children were reported to exhibit greater prosocial behavior and less aggression and social-withdrawal. In addition, empathic children demonstrated a more sophisticated understanding of shyness and aggression as compared to less empathic peers. These results suggest that empathic children are more socially sensitive, both in terms of their social understanding of others as well as their own social behaviors.     

Communication apprehension,social preference,and social behavior in a college environment

An investigation of high and low communication apprehensives in a college environment indicated that high communication apprehensives interact less with peer strangers, are less likely to accept a blind date, have fewer dates, are more likely to engage in exclusive dating, have close relationships with fewer faculty, are less satisfied with a university's advising system, and are less satisfied with the college environment. These results are examined within the context of the Berger‐Calabrese developmental theory of interpersonal communication and an extension of that theory is tentatively advanced.     

Student learning outcomes and attitudes when biotechnology lab partners are of different academic levels

The North Carolina State University Biotechnology Program offers laboratory-intensive courses to both undergraduate and graduate students. In "Manipulation and Expression of Recombinant DNA," students are separated into undergraduate and graduate sections for the laboratory, but not the lecture, component. Evidence has shown that students prefer pairing with someone of the same academic level. However, retention of main ideas in peer learning environments has been shown to be greater when partners have dissimilar abilities. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that there will be enhanced student learning when lab partners are of different academic levels. We found that learning outcomes were met by both levels of student, regardless of pairing. Average undergraduate grades on every assessment method increased when undergraduates were paired with graduate students. Many of the average graduate student grades also increased modestly when graduate students were paired with undergraduates. Attitudes toward working with partners dramatically shifted toward favoring working with students of different academic levels. This work suggests that offering dual-level courses in which different-level partnerships are created does not inhibit learning by students of different academic levels. This format is useful for institutions that wish to offer "boutique" courses in which student enrollment may be low, but specialized equipment and faculty expertise are needed.     

社会阶层如何影响个体的亲社会行为?——机制与相关因素的探讨

社会阶层的社会认知理论与相关研究表明,低社会阶层者常比高社会阶层者更亲社会,而亲社会行为的资源和代价理论认为高阶层者更有能力和可能做出亲社会行为。随着实证研究的增多,研究者开始从多种因素(微观的个体水平变量,如人格因素;中观的情境水平变量,即具体的社会互动情境;宏观的社会与文化变量,如社会结构与文化因素)共同影响行为的视角入手来全面地理解社会阶层与亲社会行为之间的关系。研究发现,微观个体层面的互惠信念、感恩特质和相对剥夺感,中观情境层面的互动对方的利他水平、慈善呼吁类型和亲社会情境公开性,以及宏观社会层面的收入不平等性和文化等因素,都会影响社会阶层与亲社会行为之间的关系。未来研究应探讨亲社会情境、社会与文化层面的因素如何与个体的社会阶层交互影响其亲社会行为;考察受助者的社会阶层如何激发人们的亲社会行为,以及行动者的社会阶层对亲社会行为传递的影响。     

Role-taking ability and social behavior in deaf school children

This study assessed the relationship between role-taking skill and social-emotional adjustment in deaf children. Twenty-three prelingually deafened boys and girls between 7 and 14 years of age were administered a role-taking task, surreptitious behavioral measures of helping and altruism, and a measure of nonverbal intelligence. In addition, two professionals experienced in working with deaf children rated the social and emotional adjustment, language/communication skills and role-taking ability of the participants. Performance on the role-taking task correlated positively with ratings of emotional adjustment, self-image, communicative effectiveness and role-taking skill. Role-taking performance, however, was not reliably related to any of the measures of social behavior. The study also considered several factors which may account for the apparent independence of role-taking and social behavior.     

Teachers' perspectives on student problematic behavior and social skills

This study examined program outcomes of student problem behavior and social skills, based on teachers' perspectives, before and after early behavioral intervention services. The study targeted students in kindergarten through grade 5 who were identified by the school system as being at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. Students identified received early intervention services based on individualized positive behavior supports (i.e. social skills training, functional behavioral assessment, and team collaboration). The results indicate that early intervention services that teach social skills and use functional behavioral assessments to deal with problem behaviors are beneficial to children displaying behavioral challenges.     

贵州大学生微信社交行为分析与对策

为了更好的掌握贵州大学生的微信使用情况,本文采用了网络发放调查问卷的形式进行数据调查,调查范围设计贵州民族大学、贵州民族大学人文科技学院、贵州师范大学、贵州师范大学求是学院、贵州财经大学、贵州财经大学商务学院、黔南民族师范学院七所高校,发放调查问卷283份,调查对象为18-25岁本科生。     

The relationship between social behavior and self-concept in school settings

The relationship between social behavior, as measured by the School Social Behavior Scales (SSBS), and self-concept, as measured by the Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC), was studied. Subjects included 41 public school students in Grades 5 and 6. These subjects were rated on the SSBS by their classroom teachers and also completed the SPPC as a self-report measure. A number of significant positive relationships were found between the Social Competence scores of the SSBS and the SPPC self-concept scores. Relationships between the Problem Behavior scores of the SSBS and the SPPC scores were extremely weak, and none of the obtained coefficients was statistically significant. The pattern of associations identified through this investigation provides support for the criterion-related validity of both the SSBS and SPPC, and raises some interesting questions regarding the relationship between social behavior and self-concept in children.     

Assessment of multiple behavioral procedures on academic and social classroom behavior

A set of behavioral procedures focusing on the academic and social behavior problems of a group of adolescent students was incorporated within the context of a regular school program. The procedures, which involved manipulating type and delay of reinforcement, teaching desirable behaviors that were self-reinforcing or that others would readily reinforce, and training in several skills that are prerequisite to selfcontrol, were implemented in several classrooms through an independent grouporiented contingency system. These students performed significantly better than a matched control group with respect to grade-point average, class grades, school attendance, and length of time absent due to suspension. Changes in the contingency system throughout the year yielded differential effects on three behavioral measures: class attendance, assignments completed, and classroom behavior. The significance of these findings is discussed, and suggestions are made for future research efforts.