Understanding of Idiomatic Expressions in Context in Skilled and Less Skilled Comprehenders: Online Processing and Interpretation

This article reports a study in which good and poor comprehenders (in 2 age groups: 8- and 10-year-olds) read short passages containing phrases that could be interpreted as idiomatic or not, depending on the context. Familiarity was manipulated by including real (English) idioms and novel (translations of Italian) idioms. Reading times for the target phrases were measured and the children’s understanding of the target expressions was assessed. The older children and better comprehenders were more likely to interpret idiomatic phrases correctly. In particular, there was an interaction between age and meaning condition: The younger children were less able to choose an appropriate interpretation of the figurative expressions. In general, children spent relatively more time reading the idiomatic expressions than the literal ones, with the exception of less skilled comprehenders when presented with novel (Italian) idioms. They seemed not to appreciate that these expressions needed any particular effort for interpretation.     

Perceptions of Communication With Gay and Lesbian Family Members: Predictors of Relational Satisfaction and Implications for Outgroup Attitudes

This study investigates perceptions of family communication among members with different sexual identities. Specifically, from the perspective of heterosexual family members (N = 129), the study takes an intergroup perspective to determine how accommodative and non-accommodative communication and attitudes toward homosexuality predict intergroup anxiety and relational satisfaction with gay or lesbian family members. Further, the manner in which family communication influences attitudes toward homosexuality is examined. Results are discussed in terms of implications for research on heterosexual–homosexual interaction, family communication, and intergroup communication, in general.     

Content and Relational Implications of Children-In-Law's Relational Uncertainty Within the In-Law Dyad During the Transition to Extended Family

Two studies were conducted to examine children-in-law's experiences of relational uncertainty and satisfaction during the transition to marriage. In Study 1, responses revealed children-in-law's (N = 154) myriad concerns revolving around three, broad themes of relational uncertainty: dyadic uncertainty, family system uncertainty, and individual uncertainty. Based on these results, we constructed scales of children-in-law's uncertainty for use in Study 2 (N = 204). Bivariate correlations revealed negative associations between children-in-law's uncertainty and relationship satisfaction within both the in-law and marital dyads. Collectively, these findings extend theoretical understanding of the role of relational uncertainty and social network influence during a crucial family transition.     

The Aftermath of Hurtful Events: Cognitive,Communicative, and Relational Outcomes

Relational satisfaction and stability following discovered incidents of relational betrayal were investigated. Predictions from Social Exchange Theory, specifically Rusbult's Investment Model, were tested along with the effects of communication strategies. Participants (N = 155) completed a questionnaire about a recalled betrayal. Inconsistent with the investment model, relational satisfaction was the best predictor of relational stability. Generally, the more committed and invested the offender, the more likely the reported use of communication repair strategies. The likelihood of apologies, accepting responsibility, and promising change also increased with the severity of the betrayal. Only promising change was related to post-betrayal relational satisfaction.     

Hostility, hostile detachment, and conflict engagement in marriages: effects on child and family functioning

This study examined the relations between patterns of marital communication, child adjustment, and family functioning. Couples with a 4- or 5-year-old child were divided into three groups (N = 126) based on observed patterns of emotional communication: Hostile couples showed a cumulative increase in negative speaker behaviors over the course of a high-conflict marital discussion; hostile-withdrawn couples showed a cumulative increase in both negative speaker and negative listener behaviors over the course of the interaction; and engaged couples showed a cumulative increase in both positive speaker and listener behaviors over the course of the interaction. The families of these three types of couples were then compared on child outcomes (i.e., peer relations, behavior problems), parenting quality, co-parenting quality, and family-level functioning. Differences in marital violence and marital satisfaction between marital couples were also examined in relation to family risk. Families in which couples were hostile-detached showed the most negative outcomes. Hostile-detached couples were more likely than hostile or conflict-engaging couples to use more power-assertive methods of discipline; to be ineffective in co-parenting their child; to have family units that were less cohesive, less playful, and more conflictual; and to have children that exhibited behavior problems. Results also indicated that marital typology still accounted for significant variance in child outcome after controlling for marital violence and marital satisfaction. Differences in the absolute degree of negative behaviors also did not account for results. Findings are discussed in terms of the detrimental impact of marital conflict on child and family functioning.     

Lending a helping hand for English-Chinese bilingual children’s idiom comprehension and retention: implications for early childhood educators

Idiom comprehension and production reflect a child’s language competence. Research suggests that there is a positive relationship between children’s reading comprehension skills and their idiom understanding. This study examines whether adult verbal scaffolding, in conjunction with the deliberate use of iconic gestures, can facilitate young bilingual children’s comprehension and retention of idiomatic expressions in their different languages. Twenty-three five-year-old English-Chinese bilingual children learned novel idioms across two experimental conditions. In Experiment 1, a native Chinese-speaking adult and a native English-speaking adult, respectively, taught children a set of Chinese and English idioms via speech only. In Experiment 2, the same adults, respectively, taught a different set of Chinese and English idioms via speech–gesture combinations. The results suggest that children could comprehend more idioms in both languages after being taught via the speech–gesture modality than the speech-only modality. They also tended to retain more idioms taught in the speech–gesture modality than in the speech-only modality in both languages. Moreover, those children who scored high in their idiom comprehension and retention also scored high both in their recast of the gestures used by the adults and in their rate of speech–gesture mismatches. Educational implications for early childhood settings are discussed.     

英汉习语的文化差异及其翻译

习语是各国文化的精髓,它作为语言的精华承载着丰富的文化信息,充分反映出英汉两种语言的文化差异。因此,文章从最能体现中西文化差异的习语着手,论述习语在文化上六个方面中所反映的中西文化差异。在翻译时应该首先弄清它们的文化内涵和实际意义,再根据上下文的意思灵活处理。因此,英汉习语的翻译不应只是两种语言的简单转换,更应是文化的交流。掌握习语的翻译,对于培养语言的领悟力和跨文化的交际能力是十分必要的。     

Does Our Humor Affect Us?: An Examination of a Dyad's Humor Orientation

In this article, researchers explain how individuals' similarities in humor orientation influence dyadic cohesion and satisfaction. The researchers in this study investigated the impact of communication appropriateness as a mediating variable in relationships. Relational partners (n = 151 dyads) completed measures of both self and other regarding humor orientation, cohesion, and satisfaction. A couple's humor orientation was positively correlated with both dyadic satisfaction and cohesion. Communication appropriateness was a mediating factor in both the relationship between a couple's humor orientation and dyadic cohesion, and humor orientation and satisfaction. The overall dyadic humor orientation was more important than a couple's humor discrepancy, or either partner's scores.     

Fear as a Predictor of Life Satisfaction in Retirement in Canada

In developed countries, healthy retirees can fulfill their life, but may fear growing old. Yet, there is little empirical data on the relationship between this fear and life satisfaction. This cross-sectional, correlational survey study tested whether a new, summated measure of Fears About Growing Old (FAGO)—derived from exemplifications of Laslett, who posited the theory of the Third Age—significantly predicted life satisfaction and retirement satisfaction after adjusting for significant social participation covariates. A total of 190 Canadian retirees at three senior centers in Ontario, Canada, completed surveys. A pilot study established the reliability and validity of the scales, including the FAGO, used to assess the independent variable. In a regression analysis, fear (R ² _change = .06) was found to be a statistically significant predictor of life satisfaction when controlling for five covariates (current activity, circumstance and pursuing own interest as two reasons for retirement, postretirement work, and perceived social support); overall R ² = .26. For retirement satisfaction, fear significantly explained variance in the outcome (R ² _change  = .04) while controlling for two significant covariates (current activity and perceived social support); overall R ² = .14. A work by gender interaction on satisfaction was not found. Other than fear about loss of mobility, men rated loss of partner very high; women rated mortal disease very high. The lowest fear was loss of retirement income for men and loss of earning-power for women. Canada's poverty preventive programs successfully supported senior postretirement life. The FAGO was useful to find senior needs.     

英语人体习语研究

语言是生活的镜子,习语是语言的精华。由于人的一切活动都离不开人体的参与,因此就产生了许多与人体部位或器官有关的习惯用语,即习语。英语的人体习语十分丰富,所以,要想精通英语就得研究这些习语。主要对英语中常见的人体习语进行分类、释义及探源,旨在帮助初学者正确应用此类习语。     

Early education teachers’ conceptualizations and strategies for managing closeness with the class in child care

This study investigated teachers’ experiences of closeness during interactions with the group of children in child care. Structured interviews were conducted with 24 female teachers who were teaching children between the ages of three and five (mean age = 3.9) regarding their perceptions of closeness with the group of children in the class. Qualitative analyses of the interviews revealed a group solidarity domain of teacher–group relationships composed of three dimensions which comprise emotional solidarity, consensual solidarity, and functional solidarity, with emotional solidarity most dominant in the teachers’ perceptions. This group solidarity domain was interpreted as being consistent with qualities found in Grusec and Davidov’s group participation domain. The findings that, teachers’ closeness with the group of children in the class were dominated by the emotional dimension is similar to previous research results which report the predominance of personal and intimate interactions in relational closeness between teachers and individual children. Teachers described intentional strategies for managing close group relationships that made use of interactional histories between the teachers and children in the class. These discoveries provide a new perspective on teacher closeness with groups, an area of research not often investigated. It also provides insights into the importance teachers place on connecting emotionally with children when they are with the collective group in the classroom.     

英语成对词的变异形式

作为英语习语的重要组成部分，成对词为数众多，语义丰富，应用广泛。其变异形式的结构特点、语义关系、语音特征、语法功能等值得探讨。     

The impact of past dating relationship solidarity on commitment,satisfaction, and investment in current relationships

The purpose of this study was to determine how previous romantic relationships impact subsequent romantic relationships. Specifically, this study examined if past relationship solidarity is related to current relationship commitment, satisfaction, and investment among individuals in dating relationships. Participants were 204 undergraduates at an Eastern university who were currently in a dating relationship. Results indicated that past relationship solidarity is significantly and negatively related to current relationship commitment and satisfaction, but not significantly related to current investment. Several moderating variables were also examined, including the nature and attribution of individuals' breakups, the length of past and current relationships, and participant sex. Results revealed that the nature and style of past breakups were particularly salient moderating variables, such that past solidarity was related to future relationship commitment and satisfaction only when breakups were mutual and somewhat ambiguous. Furthermore, these relationships were significant only for women and not men.     

Responses to Jealousy Situations That Evoke Uncertainty in Married and Dating Relationships

This study examined jealousy situations among married versus dating relationships, the uncertainty jealousy induced, and communicative responses. Participants (N = 155) described situations, and analytic inductive procedures identified 9 jealousy situations. Comparisons indicate the Presence of Attractive Romantic Alternative and Choice of a Non-Romantic Other situations are most common among dating partners, whereas Choice of a Non-Romantic Other and Never Experienced Jealousy are most common among married couples. Dating partners experienced greater partner uncertainty following jealous situations. Situations differed in production of partner and relational uncertainty, satisfaction, and impact on other aspects of life.     

大同方言四字格平仄搭配的特点及与成语的比较

大同方言中有许多惯用语性的四字格,这些四字格惯用语与四字格的成语有相同的平仄搭配形式,把两者对比可以看到四字格（包括惯用语和成语）平仄搭配的一些规律：平平仄仄是一种主要的搭配形式;声调搭配拗者占少数;变式更符合自然语言的习惯。大同方言四字格惯用语平仄搭配与四字格成语搭配的不同又可以看到＂×平×仄＂是四字格一中主要的形式,这种格式更符合汉语实际运用的规律。     

... until careers do us part: Vocational and marital satisfaction in the dual-career commuter marriage

The first purpose of this study was to identify significant differences between the dual-career couple whose work requires a geographic separation and the dual-career couple whose work allows them to maintain one residence. Specific comparisons included general marital satisfaction, use of parallel communication, attributional patterns, and general vocational satisfaction. The second purpose of this study was to identify variables that predict vocational and marital satisfaction for the commuting and non-commuting couples. The sample consisted of 55 commuters and 55 non-commuters. Instruments utilized were the Marital Satisfaction Inventory, Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, Relationship Style Inventory, and two instruments designed for the study. There were no differences between commuters and non-commuters or between men and women on a global measure of marital satisfaction. Commuters were more dissatisfied with time spent together and with affectional communication. Commuters were more non-traditional in their perceptions of marital and parental roles. Non-commuters had a higher proportion of parallel communications. There were no differences on attribution measures or on global vocational satisfaction. Marital satisfaction was best predicted by parallel communication for both groups; however, there was a much stronger relationship for commuters. Vocational satisfaction for both groups was predicted by satisfaction with job security. Counseling strategies for use with problems faced by commuters are discussed.This article is based on the doctoral dissertation of the first author under the supervision of the second author. A preliminary version of this paper was presented at the XIIth International Roundtable for the Advancement of Counseling, Lund, Sweden, June 1986.     

Types of Homeschool Environments and Need Support for Children’s Achievement Motivation

ABSTRACT

Working within a self-determination theory (SDT) framework, this study used cluster analysis to examine the naturally occurring types of homeschool-learning environments parents (N = 457) have created. Measures of support for student autonomy, mastery goal structure, and use of conditional regard were adapted for a homeschool context and used as constituting variables. Follow-up measures of parental need satisfaction, efficacy, student academic engagement, teaching practices, and demographics were used to identify significant differences among homeschooling motivational profiles. A five-cluster solution best fit the data: a high need support profile, low need support profile and three profiles of mixed need support. In general, the high need and mixed need support profiles were associated with higher student engagement, need satisfaction, efficacy for homeschooling, and frequent use of teaching strategies that promote autonomous motivation and support for student competence. The low need support profile was significantly associated with lower need satisfaction and teaching strategies associated with control. Higher levels of academic engagement were reported for those students homeschooled longer and at higher grade levels. Male teaching parents (N = 29) reported significantly less need satisfaction and were significantly more represented in the low need support profile. These findings point to the utility of self-determination theory for characterizing the motivational environments of homeschools.     

Community colleges maintain modest response rates to prospective student inquiry

None of the community colleges in this study responded with a text message, as requested in the prospective student’s inquiry. Only 1.38% (n = 3) of the institutions responded to the inquiry with a telephone call. This research realized a slightly higher rate of e-mail response within five working days; 54.98% (n = 116) as opposed to the 2009 results of 50.5% (n = 110) in Shadinger’s (2014) study. More community colleges (n = 12, 5.5%) also had e-mail addresses or information request forms (n = 182, 83.5%) than in the original study (n = 170, 78.0%). Nearly 100% of community college websites had social media links, even when an e-mail address or information request form was not available. In an expansion of previous statements about communication, Noel-Levitz (2014a) reported prospective students were “more likely to consider schools that use e-mail, text messages or social media to communicate” (p. 4). Concurrently, the underutilization of e-mail, social media, and cell phones will simply exacerbate communication and recruiting issues for community colleges.     

Effects of Supervisor Social Influence,Nonverbal Immediacy,and Biological Sex on Subordinates' Perceptions of Job Satisfaction,Liking, and Supervisor Credibility

This study investigated the impact of supervisor biological sex, power use, and nonverbal immediacy on subordinates' satisfaction, liking for the supervisor, and perceptions of the supervisors' credibility. After viewing video scenarios of male and female supervisors engaging in nonverbally immediate (or nonimmediate) and prosocial (or antisocial) power use, subordinates reported perceptions of satisfaction, affect, and credibility. Results of the 2 × 2 × 2 experimental design indicated significant main effects for supervisor prosocial power and nonverbal immediacy. Although there were interaction effects, the variance accounted for was minimal. Supervisor prosocial power use and nonverbal immediacy were positively and significantly related to subordinates' self-reported satisfaction, liking for the supervisor, and work enjoyment. Supervisor biological sex did not show a relationship to any of the criterion variables. This study demonstrates that supervisors should maintain nonverbal immediacy and frame prosocial-type messages to preserve their credibility in the workplace.     

Investigating the Multidimensionality of Need Fulfillment: A Bifactor Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling Representation

This article assesses the multidimensionality of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNSFS) using bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (bifactor ESEM). The first study relies on a sample of community adults (N = 2,301), and revealed the superiority of a bifactor ESEM representation, supporting the 6-factor structure of BPNSFS ratings, and the presence of a single continuum of need fulfillment relative to 2 distinct dimensions reflecting need satisfaction and frustration. These results were replicated in a second representative sample of the Hungarian adult population (N = 504), as well as across gender, and found no evidence of differential item functioning as a function of age. Relative to males, females presented higher levels of relatedness satisfaction and lower levels of competence satisfaction. Finally, autonomy frustration decreased with age, whereas competence satisfaction and frustration presented opposite curvilinear tendencies, showing that the fulfillment of this need increased sharply for younger participants, a tendency that became less pronounced with age.