The Relations of Children's Dispositional Prosocial Behavior to Emotionality, Regulation, and Social Functioning

The purpose of this study was to examine the relations of a measure of children's dispositional prosocial behavior (i.e., peer nominations) to individual differences in children's negative emotionality, regulation, and social functioning. Children with prosocial reputations tended to be high in constructive social skills (i.e., socially appropriate behavior and constructive coping) and attentional regulation, and low in negative emotionality. The relations of children's negative emotionality to prosocial reputation were moderated by level of dispositional attentional regulation. In addition, the relations of prosocial reputation to constructive social skills and parent-reported negative emotionality (for girls) increased with age. Vagal tone, a marker of physiological regulation, was negatively related to girls' prosocial reputation.     

Maternal Personality: Longitudinal Associations to Parenting Behavior and Maternal Emotional Expressions toward Toddlers

OBJECTIVE: Longitudinal associations among maternal personality, emotional expressions, and parenting were examined. DESIGN: Maternal parenting (sensitivity and intrusiveness) and positive emotional expressions were observed during a free-play session with toddlers at 18 (T1, n = 246) and 30 (T3, n = 216) months. Mothers completed a personality measure at T1 and a questionnaire measuring their emotional expressiveness (positive and negative) when toddlers were 24 months old (T2, n = 213). RESULTS: Dimensions of maternal personality and maternal emotional expressiveness were related to individual differences in maternal parenting behaviors, in particular to maternal sensitivity. Conscientiousness and Agreeableness at T1 were positively associated with observed positive emotional expressions at T1. Agreeableness, Openness to Experience, and Extraversion at T1 also were positively related to positive emotional expressions reported by mothers at T2. Maternal positive emotional expressions (T1 and T2), in turn, were associated with more sensitive behavior observed with toddlers at T3. CONCLUSION: In addition to direct effects of maternal personality on maternal parenting, mothers' emotional expressiveness was found to be a possible pathway for explaining relations of maternal personality and parenting.     

Integrated Reference à la Carte: Evaluating,Selecting, and Implementing the Best Features for your Library

Integrated reference systems, such as SpringShare's LibAnswers, operate on a single, easy-to-use platform for providing virtual reference services and recording transactions. This article discusses the evidence-based decision-making carried out by librarians at Auburn University's main library and a branch library when deciding which aspects of the LibAnswers platform to incorporate at the two separate locations. Evaluating, selecting, and implementing appropriate components of LibAnswers resulted in complementary but separate systems that met the needs of both patrons and staff. This article adds to the body of literature on integrated reference systems by expanding the focus to include a branch library and its unique considerations and reasons for implementing LibAnswers.     

Expressions of concern and their uses

The rights and responsibilities of journal editors, when allegations of research misconduct are made, are still evolving. One of the issues that editors must consider is whether and how to communicate with their readership after notice that an allegation of research misconduct has been made about a published article. On receiving such notice, some editors have issued an ‘expression of concern’ to inform their readers of a potential problem. This article provides an analysis of the 16 expressions of concern that have been issued, how and when they were issued, and what happened next. Although this tool is relatively new, editors should consider it as part of their armament for ensuring the integrity of the research record during the sometimes lengthy period that misconduct investigations can take, and should develop policies regarding its use.     

Early Childhood Professional Development: Coaching and Coursework Effects on Indicators of Children’s School Readiness

Research Findings: Effects on children’s school readiness were evaluated for 2 interventions focused on improving teacher–student interactions (coursework, coaching) implemented sequentially across 2 years. Teachers from public prekindergarten programs in 10 locations were assigned randomly to treatment or control conditions in each year. Children’s language behavior was observed during the coaching year: Coaching and the course each had positive impacts on children’s multiword language behavior. Treatment impacts on directly assessed literacy, language, and self-regulation skills were evaluated within an intent-to-treat framework for children taught by the participating teachers in the coaching and postcoaching years. Children demonstrated higher levels of inhibitory control in direct assessments when their teacher had received coaching the prior year. Teachers who received both coursework and coaching reported in the postcoaching year that children in their classrooms demonstrated greater levels of behavioral control. Treatment effects did not differ as a consequence of child, classroom, or program characteristics, and there were no significant effects on directly assessed literacy or language skills. Practice or Policy: Results suggest modest benefits for children’s language behavior and self-regulation for intervention(s) that improve the quality of teacher–child interaction.     

Extending the Utility of the Views of Nature of Science Assessment through Epistemic Network Analysis

Science & Education - An understanding of how science is enacted and how scientific knowledge is generated, or the nature of science (NOS), is a major goal of science education. NOS views have...     

Binge-Watching: A Suspenseful,Emotional, Habit

Binge-watching, simultaneously treated as both guilty pleasure and legitimate health concern in popular press and academic discussions, is a pervasive media behavior. Yet distinguishing it from other ways of television viewing remains elusive in communication research. The present study employs empirically supported variables to determine if different outcome expectancies are relevant to the frequency of binge-watching as contrasted with appointment viewing of television through the lens of the model of media attendance. Survey results (N = 797) of a college student and representative adult sample reveal that binge-watching is motivated in large part by the behavior already being an entrenched habit among viewers, while suspense and anticipation associated with content and motivation to use viewing to regulate one’s emotions are also significant antecedents. Conversely, more frequent appointment viewing of television viewing was driven by viewing efficacy and older age.     

The relations of parental warmth and positive expressiveness to children's empathy-related responding and social functioning: a longitudinal study

This study examined the concurrent and cross-time relations of parental observed warmth and positive expressivity to children's situational facial and self-reported empathic responding, social competence, and externalizing problems in a sample of 180 elementary school children. Data was collected when the children were in second to fifth grades (age: M = 112.8 months), and again 2 years later. Cross-sectional and longitudinal structural equation models supported the hypothesis that parents' (mostly mothers') positive expressivity mediated the relation between parental warmth and children's empathy, and children's empathy mediated the relation between parental positive expressivity and children's social functioning. These relations persisted after controlling for prior levels of parenting and child characteristics. Moreover, concurrent and cross-time consistencies were found on measures of parenting, children's situational empathic responding, and social functioning.     

Towards a pedagogy for information technology

ABSTRACT

The authors of this paper have conducted research into the implementation of National Curriculum assessment at Key Stage 1 by local education authorities in one particular region of the United Kingdom, East Anglia. They found that policy documents were being interpreted in a number of different ways, thus allowing a variety of practices to develop. This has allowed policy implementation to be shaped to meet local needs, in particular with regard to audit or moderation at this key stage.