INTERGENERATIONAL DAYCARE AND PRESCHOOLERS' ATTITUDES ABOUT AGING

The evidence that intergenerational contact influences children's attitudes about the elderly or aging, in either a positive or negative manner, is mixed. In an attempt to shed light on this issue, perceptions of the elderly were assessed for 33 3-to 5- year-old children enrolled in either an intergenerational daycare program or a daycare program without an intergenerational curriculum. The Children's Attitudes Toward the Elderly (CATE) and a measure of perceived ability to participate in activities (Activity Scale) were used to examine the influence of an intergenerational daycare program on preschool children's attitudes. Program-related differences in attitudes about aging or the elderly were expected, but, overall, the two groups were very similar. In general, children rated older adults less positively than they did younger adults, and they believed that older adults could participate in fewer activities than children could. Longitudinal studies of intergenerational programs, especially programs with an aging education curriculum, are needed to further illuminate the effects of intergenerational contact on children's attitudes.     

Cultivating Curiosity: Integrating Hybrid Teaching in Courses in Human Behavior in the Social Environment

This study illustrates an experience of implementing a hybrid model for teaching human behavior in the social environment in an urban university setting. Developing a hybrid model in a BSW program arose out of a desire to reach students in a different way. Designed to promote curiosity and active learning, this particular hybrid model has students engage in weekly online activities between their weekly on-ground classes. This article reviews key pedagogical concerns and presents preliminary findings, including student feedback, instructor observations, and strategies for faculty interested in developing such courses.     

The Effect of Prime Time Television Ethnic/Racial Stereotypes on Latino and Black Americans: A Longitudinal National Level Study

Much is known about the negative consequences of exposure to ethnic/racial stereotypes in the media, on White audiences. However, there is substantially less research addressing the effects of such media content on members of racial/ethnic minority groups. The present study examines this question using repeated cross-sectional national level data alongside a content analysis of top prime time shows between 1987 and 2008. Multi-level modeling analyses reveal that media representations of Latinos and Blacks were associated with Latinos’ and Blacks’ ingroup attitudes, however effects on attitudes towards Whites were not significant.     

Methodological-conceptual problems in the study of chimpanzees’ folk physics: How studies with adult humans can help

In three experiments, we examined humans’ folk physics (i.e., a naturally occurring and spontaneous understanding of the physical world), using variations of problems used to study chimpanzees’ folk physics. Presented with trap-tube problems in two experiments, adult humans showed an unnecessary bias to insert a stick into the end of the tube farthest from the reward to push it out the other end. When presented with trap-table problems with ineffective trapping holes, people unnecessarily avoided the side with the hole. The similarity of humans’ and chimpanzees’ behavior on these tasks highlights methodological and conceptual problems in studies of chimpanzees’ folk physics and suggests alternative explanations for their behavior.     

Altered surfaces,taking the long view: Applications of ethnographic conservation practices to the conservation of contemporary art

While working together on tradition-based and contemporary works at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) and in private practice, the authors found that their expertise in ethnographic conservation can be applied to the conservation of contemporary works. The treatment approach to ethnographic works has evolved over decades, shifting from alteration of original surfaces and heavy restoration to an emphasis on preserving the original integrity of the artwork through minimal intervention. This paper describes the evolution of ethnographic object conservation regarding surface alteration, while specifically focusing on African objects, and discusses applications of this approach to the conservation of contemporary art. The historical change in treatment attitudes is presented using examples from NMAfA's collections to underscore why the profession developed a minimal intervention approach and to argue for the relevance of this approach to related contemporary media.     

DEVELOPING RESEARCH QUESTIONS THROUGH GRANT PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT

Developing good research ideas is both a science and an art. Teaching students how to select and then conceptualize the research idea requires both tools and practice. This paper discusses the identification of an appropriate research question and the refinement of it into a working research plan in the format of a grant proposal. The author has used the development of a grant proposal to demonstrate the linkages between theoretical models of aging policy and aging policy research in a master's level Aging and Public Policy Course. In this course students choose, develop, and refine a research statement in response to a request for proposal from an independent foundation. The theoretical knowledge cycle is used to discuss how these students learn over time to refine and reformulate their ideas into workable research questions. Students report that writing for a real funding entity allows them to develop both proficiency with the construction of a research question and research plan and develop expertise with aging policy.