Infants of Depressed Mothers Exhibit Atypical Frontal Electrical Brain Activity during Interactions with Mother and with a Familiar, Nondepressed Adult

Previous studies have shown that infants of depressed mothers exhibit atypical frontal brain electrical activity when they are interacting with their mothers. Whereas typically developing infants exhibit greater left versus right frontal brain activity, infants of depressed mothers have been found to exhibit reduced relative left frontal activity. The left frontal brain region has been associated with the expression of positive emotions. In the present study, the question of whether the atypical pattern of brain activity found in infants of depressed mothers generalizes to situations not involving mother was addressed. Brain electrical activity was recorded from 13- to 15-month-old infants of depressed (N = 59) versus nondepressed (N = 40) mothers during a baseline condition, and during several social conditions that included a playful social interaction with a familiar experiments. Infants of depressed mothers exhibited reduced left relative to right frontal activity during the baseline condition, and during interactions with their mothers and with the familiar experimenter. The present results suggest that the atypical pattern of electrical brain activity found in infants of depressed mothers generalizes to a variety of situations, including positive interactions with nondepressed adults.     

COLLEGE CHEATING IN JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES

This paper reports the results of a survey onacademic dishonesty given to samples of 392 American and276 Japanese college students in 1994 and 1995. Our datarevealed both cross-cultural differences and similarities in cheating behavior andattitudes. Compared to American students, Japanesestudents reported a higher incidence rate of cheating onexams, a greater tendency to neutralize (i.e., justify) cheating, and a greater passivity in theirreactions to the observed cheating of others. Amongcheaters of both nationalities, Japanese students ratedsocial stigma and fear of punishment as less effective in deterring cheating than did Americanstudents. Our data also revealed cross-culturalsimilarities. Among noncheaters of both nationalities,guilt was the most effective deterrent. Among cheatersof both nationalities, fear of punishment was the mosteffective deterrent. And students of both cultures,cheaters and noncheaters alike, viewed social stigma asthe least effective deterrent to cheating. In both cultures, most students react to cheating byignoring it, about one-third react by resenting it, andactive reactions (i.e., reporting the cheating orconfronting the cheater) were seldom reported.Explanations for cross-cultural differences are suggested,and implications of these findings for efforts to reducecheating are discussed.     

Adventures in Implementing a Testing Program

What are the ways in which a testing program can run aground? What are some suggestions for avoiding these problems?     

Student Employment as a High-Impact Practice in Academic Libraries: A Systematic Review

This study is a systematic literature review of student employment in academic libraries. The review aimed to identify the extent to which academic libraries treat student employment as a High-Impact Practice. Focusing on articles, books, and ACRL conference proceedings published from 1997 to 2017, 216 publications were reviewed. Utilizing the work of George Kuh as a framework, publications were coded so as to identify the characteristics of highly effective educational practices demonstrated in each publication's student employment program. Findings show that student employment programs consistently align with High-Impact Practices in regards to faculty and peer interaction, time, and effort; we also found gaps in the student employment literature regarding professional development and training, mentoring, diversity, and the transferability of work experiences to other contexts. Further research is needed to articulate the impact student employment has on student success.