Adolescents and music lyrics: Implications of a cognitive perspective

This essay addresses the relevance of cognitive research in memory processes and auditory information processing for the resolution of policy issues concerning the regulation of popular music. Several assumptions are offered regarding music listening, and conclusions are presented which center on appropriate research methods for resolution of questions surrounding music listening and regulation.     

The role of the 1976 televised presidential debates in the political socialization of adolescents

On the day immediately following their viewing of the first Carter‐Ford televised debate, 156 junior‐high‐school students were interviewed to determine the role of interpersonal communication, media exposure patterns, and family and social environments in the prediction of perceptions of victory and learning about the candidates by adolescents. It was found that parents' social class was the best predictor of adolescents' perceptions of the importance of the debates, whereas the best predictor of the. students' ability to attribute victory to one of the candidates was interpersonal communication prior to and immediately following the telecast. Results are discussed in terms of previous findings, which reflect low importance of the debates in political socialization.     

Introduction to the development of the ISPCAN child abuse screening tools

The World Report on Children and Violence, (Pinheiro, 2006) was produced at the request of the UN Secretary General and the UN General Assembly. This report recommended improvement in research on child abuse. ISPCAN representatives took this charge and developed 3 new instruments. We describe this background and introduce three new measures designed to assess the incidence and prevalence of child abuse and neglect.     

INDICATORS OF PERFORMANCE: SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

Universities are coming under increasing pressure to develop and implement Indicators of Performance in order to demonstrate their efficiency and to facilitate institutional planning. In this paper a number of possible indicators for monitoring individual and departmental performance in teaching and research are explored. Preliminary studies indicate that while it is possible to identify both ‘excellence’ and relatively poor performance, it is very difficult, at least in the present circumstances, to effect positive changes in the latter. A sensitive yet economical system of Indicators of Performance could ensure that the professional development of individual academics, as well as departmental and institutional planning, could proceed on a more realistic and rational basis.