Interference with avoidance behavior as a function of qualitative properties of inescapable shocks

Temporal form (continuous vs. pulsating) and shock source (alternating current vs. direct current) were factorially combined to produce four shock treatments. The effects of inescapable presentations of these stimuli on subsequent avoidance response acquisition were measured in dogs (Experiment 1) and in rats (Experiment 2) and revealed an interaction of shock variables. Initially, all groups that received ac shock showed impaired performance for the pulsating and continuous shock conditions; groups that received dc continuous shock were also impaired, while those that received dc pulsating shock were not. While this pattern of interference persisted for dogs, it was transient in rats, with only the ac continuous-shock group continuing to be impaired. Mean avoidance performance were positively related to mean activity levels during inescapable shocks for the dc shock groups but not for the ac shock groups.     

Cooperative versus competitive educational psychology classrooms: A comparative study

Four introductory educational psychology classrooms were differentially taught, three with a cooperative (ns = 30, 36, and 31) and the other an individually competitive (n = 40) goal structure. A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA design was used to examine pre- and posttest (time) learning by treatments within subjects. The four groups were not found to be significantly different from each other on the pretest. All four groups obtained significant (p < 0.001) gains on their posttest scores as contrasted with their pretest scores. While a statistically significant interaction between treatment groups and time was obtained, no significant differences were encountered among the four groups' posttest scores. Affective differences were obtained among the four groups indicating significantly more negative perceptions being associated with the individually competitive as contrasted with the three cooperative groups. The data suggest that while significant achievement gains were obtained by all three goal structures, students have a much more negative experience with the individually competitive and prefer a cooperative goal structure.     

Bias in the attribution of hyperkinetic behavior as a function of ethnic identification and socioeconomic status

Twenty-four school psychologists, 24 parents, and 27 elementary teachers observed films of an Afro-American, a Mexican-American, and an Anglo-American eight-year-old boy and assessed each child for hyperkinesis, using a behavioral rating scale developed for this study. The hypothesis that the perceived socioecnomic status and ethnic identification of assessees would influence assessors' attributions of hyperkinetic behavior was tested and supported. Lower socioeconomic status children and ethnic minority children were rated as more hyperkinetic by teachers, school psychologists, and parents than were middle socioeconomic status or Anglo-American children. Implications for the assessment process are discussed, and findings are explained in terms of attribution theory.     

Children's responses to angry adult behavior as a function of marital distress and history of interparent hostility

Responses of 2-5-year-old children to angry adult behavior were examined as a function of parental report of marital distress, history of interparent verbal hostility, and history of interparent physical hostility. A trained actor engaged the child's mother in an emotionally expressive verbal exchange while the child played in the same room. The exchange was standardized and consisted of a 7-episode sequence of shifting background conditions (no emotion, friendly, no emotion, angry, no emotion, reconciliation, no emotion). Preoccupation with anger, expressed concern and support-seeking, and accepting of social responsibility (e.g., providing physical or verbal comfort to the mother) were greater in response to background anger than in response to prosocial conditions. The parents' marital adjustment was positively associated with expressed concern and support-seeking by children in response to anger. Form and degree of marital conflict interacted with age and sex in predicting children's response to anger as well. In particular, children whose parents engaged in physical aggressiveness showed increased preoccupation, concern and support-seeking, and social responsibility responses with increasing age. Implications of these findings for the study of the effects of marital discord on children are discussed.     

Teacher-completed child behavior checklist ratings as a function of classroom-based interventions: A pilot study

Fifty-eight first- and second-grade children exhibiting behavior problems were identified by teachers for inclusion in a behavior intervention program. Children were assigned to experimental and control groups matching for scores on the Teacher's Report Form (TRF), ability, and achievement. The experimental subjects received classroom-based behavior intervention mediated by teachers. Pre- and postintervention TRFs were compared and showed significant correlations, indicating stability of the instrument. Children in both experimental and control groups improved significantly in their TRF scores. No significant differences were found between the two groups in the amount of improvement in their TRF scores, even though the experimental group evidenced significantly greater improvement in behavioral measures. Therefore, although the TRF appears to generate stable indices of behavior problems, it may not be useful for detecting behavioral changes resulting from classroom-based interventions.     

The influence of group size on children's competitive behavior

The present research was designed to test the hypothesis that children would compete more in tetrads than in dyads. Twenty-two pairs of male and 14 pairs of female target children (N = 72) played a competitive game in both tetrads and dyads. Consistent with the hypothesis, male target children competed more in tetrads than in dyads. This hypothesis was not supported for females, however. Analyses of the dynamics of tetrads and dyads further demonstrated that based on a global measure of smiling, the emotional atmosphere was less positive in tetrads than in dyads. The causes and consequences of interaction in different sized social groups are discussed.     

协作性学习在大学英语大班教学中的应用

基于大学英语大班教学的现状, 协作性学习作为一重要手段具有特别优势, 可大量应用于大班外语教学。通过各项分组教学活动, 可以改善学生学习积极性, 加大课内课外学生练习度, 提高学生学习效果, 弥补大班语言学习组织课堂之不足。     

Self-concept and self-esteem reexamined

Three “self” constructs are differentiated: the “self,” that is, the “real” self; the “self-concept,” which is the information or cognitions an individual has about his “self;” and “self-esteem,” which is the judgment and feelings about the “self.” An individual's self-concept can be characterized by its realism or unrealism, its completeness or incompleteness, or by the complexity of the concepts used to describe the self. Self-esteem, but not self-concept, can be described as being positive or negative. Developmental considerations and implications are discussed.     

Teachers' self-esteem and self-efficacy

A web-based questionnaire was sent to all elementary and middle school teachers in Iceland. The population list, with e-mail addresses, was obtained from the teaching union. The teachers were asked to indicate their major, as well as their experience in teaching Icelandic as classroom teachers or subject teachers. They then rated their competence in teaching Icelandic on a scale from 1–10. Responses were received from 1033 elementary and middle school teachers. Of all teachers, 83.9% had taught Icelandic as classroom teachers and 37.3% had taught Icelandic as subject teachers. All teachers rated their competence as high. Statistically, Icelandic majors and older teachers were significantly more efficacious than others in teaching Icelandic. Those with the lowest competence ratings in teaching Icelandic were sports and home studies majors. However, teachers from all majors had taught Icelandic as classroom teachers, and a significant number of them had taught Icelandic as a subject.     

Anxiety and self-esteem as mediators of the relation between family communication and indecisiveness in adolescence

In this study, we explored the unique and common contributions of anxiety, self-esteem, and family communication on indecisiveness among adolescents. Three hundred and fifty pupils from 13 to 16 years of age completed self-report measures on indecisiveness, quality of family communication, trait anxiety, and self-esteem. The findings in this study showed that students’ indecisiveness is predicted by family communication mediated by anxiety and self-esteem. These results have important implications for practice as it stresses the importance of anxiety and self-esteem. Nevertheless, the counselors could also focus on enhancing relationship-building skills by introducing the adolescents’ career formation as an adolescent–parent joint project.