The relation between mastery goals and intrinsic motivation among university students: a longitudinal study

The present work broadens previous research on students’ mastery goals and intrinsic motivation by exploring their reciprocal effects using a longitudinal approach. To this end, a study using four measurement points was conducted during 10 weeks of one semester. The sample comprised 1156 students enrolled in psychology courses at a medium-sized university in Germany who completed questionnaires. The findings showed that both constructs were intra-individually stable over the course of one semester although the rank-order stability of mastery goals was higher than the rank-order stability of intrinsic motivation. Cross-lagged structural equation models revealed that students’ mastery goals predicted their intrinsic motivation throughout the semester. However, intrinsic motivation did not predict mastery goals. Results are discussed in terms of a potential integration of achievement goal theory and self-determination theory and their practical implications.     

Menus for toddlers in Day Care: Part I

In this and the next three issues of Day Care and Early Education,we will provide a total of four weeks' worth of menus for toddlers. Some findings of the Living Environments Group at the University of Kansas were described in the last issue (“Facts and Fancies about Children's Foods,” by Marion O'Brien). This installment's introductory section explains how the menus were developed and how the recipes can be used. Additional advice and information will be included with the future sections. Tood R. Risley is Professor of Human Development and Director of the Living Environments Group at the University of Kansas. Emily Herbert-Jackson managed the nutrition research project described here in her capacity as Research Associate in the Bureau of Child Research at the University of Kansas. She is now associated with Children's Behavioral Services, Reno, Nevada. Marion O'Brien is a writer for the Living Environments Group. The authors wish especially to thank Kathy Erwin for her contribution to the development of these menus, as well as all the staff and children at the Toddler Center.     

Ndebele culture of Zimbabwe's views of giftedness

This study explored Ndebele culture of Zimbabwe's views of giftedness. Using questionnaire narratives, data were collected from thirty Zimbabwean teachers and lecturers of Ndebele cultural background. The study established that Ndebele culture views giftedness as an unusually outstanding ability blessed in an individual from birth, which manifests in extraordinary performances and expertise including creativity and inspirational power. The hallmarks of Ndebele culture's views of giftedness are achieving exceptionally outstanding success, creativity, ability to solve problems and inspirational power. Indigenous views warrant attention since contemporary psychology now recognizes multiple views of giftedness. The study therefore recommends considering the implications of indigenous views in planning and implementing broad‐based culturally sensitive gifted programs in Zimbabwe.     

Young Girls' Social Understanding: Emergent interpersonal expertise

This study focused on gender differences in young children's interpersonal understanding. Of particular interest was the articulation of the structure and content of young girls' social cognition, since this is an area where girls are believed to excel. Children from preschool (11 girls and 10 boys) and kindergarten (12 girls and 9 boys) responded to eight picture stories depicting interpersonal situations in the school context. Four of the drawings accompanying the stories contained explicit emotional cues and four contained subtle cues. Using a semi-structured interview format, children were asked questions about the actions, thoughts, and feelings of the protagonist and another character in the story (either a teacher or another child). Stories were analyzed for level of ability to coordinate thoughts and/or feelings and actions in explaining others' intentions. Girls demonstrated more sophisticated and complex reasoning about interpersonal situations than boys, and were better at decoding subtle cues in the drawings accompanying the stories. Within-subject differences were apparent, however, suggesting a need for further research on the influence of context and language on interpersonal understanding and the degree of variability among both girls and boys.     

Friends’ influence on the development of academic values in mathematics: are there differences between female and male dyads?

European Journal of Psychology of Education - Based on the social cognitive theory and the emotional contagion theory, this study investigated if friends influence (reinforce or change) the...     

How does national culture affect the teaching style in higher education and what are the implications for the student experience?

Tertiary Education and Management - One of the effects of globalization in Higher Education is that teachers in institutions and faculties increasingly come from diverse cultural backgrounds. This...     

Families at risk of poor parenting: A descriptive study of sixty at risk families in a model prevention program

Sixty families assessed to be at risk of poor parenting were the subject of this study. These families were participants in a model multidisciplinary program designed for the secondary prevention of poor parenting and the extremes of child abuse and neglect. The model program consists of special medical, psychological, social and developmental services to families on an inpatient, outpatient, and in-home basis. Demographic information on these 60 families was tabulated. Each family was given a monthly rating on a simple measure of family function. Ratings over lime were observed, and families were characterized in terms of a family rating vector (up. up-plateau, plateau, fluctuating, and down). Families were also described in terms of the constellation of problems brought to the therapy situation. Problem lists for each family were subjected to factor analysis. Five factor constructs which made clinical sense emerged from the analysis. Each factor could be labeled as a “family type.” These types were: (I) Abusive Family. (II) Neglectful or Antisocial Family. (III) Family with an Emotionally Unstable Parent, (IV) Family with Cultural or intellectual Limitation, and (V) Family with Child-Rearing Difficulties. Approximately 20% of these families did not fit the typology. Families were then divided into two groups—those who were relatively long-term, ongoing recipients of services, and those who left the program in the observation interval. Families were categorized according to family function rating vector and “family type.” It was noted among long-term families, measured improvement in family function was most evident in families with transient situational crisis (who did not fit the typology) and those with intellectual and cultural deficits (Type IV). Among the families who dropped from the program. 15% were no longer at risk. Sixty-three percent of the remaining families were not improving. These techniques may be useful in determining which at risk families are more successful candidates for prevention efforts.     

Classroom disruptions,the teacher–student relationship and classroom management from the perspective of teachers,students and external observers: a multimethod approach

This study used questionnaires and systematic behavioural observations to examine how teachers, students and external observers perceived classroom disruptions, the teacher–student relationship and classroom management in grade 5 and 6 classrooms in Switzerland. The questionnaire showed that the students of a class agreed to a certain extent in their ratings of classroom disruptions, the teacher–student relationship and classroom management. Comparison of teachers’ and students’ ratings showed that agreement on these constructs varied. We found weak to moderate agreement on classroom disruptions, a weak correspondence for the teacher–student relationship, and no association on classroom management. The results of the behavioural observation showed a moderate agreement between external observers’ and students’ ratings, but no association between external observers’ and class teachers’ ratings and only a weak correspondence with the subject teacher ratings. Thus external observers’ low-inference observations corresponded far better with students’ than teachers’ ratings. To sum up, students, teachers and observers perceive classroom processes differently.

     

Menus for toddlers in day care: Part IV

This is the last part of a four-part series of articles that provide a total of four weeks' worth of menus for toddlers. In the first installment (Fall 1978) will be found the basic recipes for preparing Milk Plus, TVP, and Fruit Juice, as well as a general introduction to the format of these menus. Todd R. Risley is Professor of Human Development and Director of the Living Environments Group at the University of Kansas. Emily Herbert-Jackson managed the nutrition research project described here in her capacity as Research Associate in the Bureau of Child Research at the University of Kansas. She is now associated with Children's Behavioral Services, Reno, Nevada. Marion O'Brien is a writer for the Living Environments Group and has served as consultant to the toddler center in which the research was conducted. The authors wish especially to thank Kathy Erwin for her contribution to the development of these menus, as well as all the staff and children at the toddler center. The research described here was supported in large part by grant MC-R-200347 from the Office of Maternal and Child Health to the Bureau of Child Research and the Department of Human Development at the University of Kansas. The toddler day care program is fully described in the bookThe Toddler Center: A Practical Guide to Day Care for One- and Two-Year-Olds, by Marion O'Brien, Jan Porterfield, Emily Herbert-Jackson, and Todd R. Risley (Baltimore: University Park Press, 1978).