Universality Without Uniformity: A Culturally Inclusive Approach to Sensitive Responsiveness in Infant Caregiving

Do caregivers in non‐Western communities adapt their behaviors to the needs of infants? This question reflects one of the most long‐standing debates on the universality versus culture‐specificity of caregiver–infant interactions in general and sensitive responsiveness to infants in particular. In this article, an integration of both points of view is presented, based on the theoretical origins of the sensitive responsiveness construct combined with the ethnographic literature on caregivers and infants in different parts of the world. This integration advocates universality without uniformity, and calls for multidisciplinary collaborations to investigate the complexities and nuances of caregiver–infant interactions in different cultures. Salient issues are illustrated with observations of infants (ages 7–31 months) in Mali, the Republic of Congo, and the Philippines.     

Relationships between self-concept and directly observed behaviors in kindergarten children

Twenty kindergarten children who were nominated by teachers as not being socially and academically competent (low-rated) and 36 kindergarten children who were nominated by teachers as competent (high-rated) participated in this study. Self-concept and academic achievement data were gathered on each subject. In addition, all children were observed in class, with particular attention to compliance/non-compliance with adult requests, on-task/off-task behavior, and positive/negative social behaviors with peers. The results indicate that: (a) The factor structure of the self-concept instrument (Primary Self-concept Inventory) was replicated in both groups of children. (b) There were no significant differences in self-concept scores among high- vs. low-rated children. (c) There were profound differences in academic and social behaviors that were found to covary with positive self-evaluations within the two study groups. In general, high-rated children who felt best about themselves were higher achievers and more compliant than were their study group cohorts. Low-rated children who felt best about themselves were, on the contrary, more off-task, more negative in their peer contacts, and inferior academically to their study group cohorts.     

Social interaction development among behaviorally handicapped preschool children: Research and educational implications

Literature is reviewed that documents the effectiveness of a behavioral approach for increasing the social behaviors of behaviorally handicapped preschool children. However, this literature also suggests that reciprocal interaction between target subjects and significant others seldom generalized beyond treatment settings. The importance of developing positive, reciprocal interaction has been well documented. The results of observational studies suggest that with respect to both quantity and quality of interaction, the child creates his own social environment. For example, the passive, withdrawn child is the more frequent recipient of social rejection than is the more socially active child; the physically aggressive child receives more hostile social bids from peers than less aggressive youngsters; and, of course, the child who initiates positive interaction with peers tends to receive more positive social attention than less socially adept youngsters. Thus, children's behavior patterns tend to set the occasion for that kind of social approach by peers that validates, in a sense, their own approach to peers. If affective education for young handicapped children is to become a reality, additional research is necessary to identify those response patterns that set the occasion for positive reciprocal interaction.     

An observational investigation of two elementary-age autistic children during free-play

Two observational systems were employed to measure the behavior patterns of two elementary-age autistic children and their classroom peers during a free-play period. Results obtained from the total behavior repertoire system indicated that the subjects spent the majority of the free-play period manipulating various toys and objects. Data obtained from the social interaction system revealed that the subjects' encounters with peers typically were negative. Additionally, the subjects were observed to respond more frequently to vocal-verbal social behavior by peers, than they were to motor-gestural responses. The observational methodology employed and the results obtained were discussed in terms of their significance for the clinical treatment of autistic behavior, and the evaluation of such treatment.     

The Genetic Drift Inventory: A Tool for Measuring What Advanced Undergraduates Have Mastered about Genetic Drift

Understanding genetic drift is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of biology, yet it is difficult to learn because it combines the conceptual challenges of both evolution and randomness. To help assess strategies for teaching genetic drift, we have developed and evaluated the Genetic Drift Inventory (GeDI), a concept inventory that measures upper-division students’ understanding of this concept. We used an iterative approach that included extensive interviews and field tests involving 1723 students across five different undergraduate campuses. The GeDI consists of 22 agree–disagree statements that assess four key concepts and six misconceptions. Student scores ranged from 4/22 to 22/22. Statements ranged in mean difficulty from 0.29 to 0.80 and in discrimination from 0.09 to 0.46. The internal consistency, as measured with Cronbach''s alpha, ranged from 0.58 to 0.88 across five iterations. Test–retest analysis resulted in a coefficient of stability of 0.82. The true–false format means that the GeDI can test how well students grasp key concepts central to understanding genetic drift, while simultaneously testing for the presence of misconceptions that indicate an incomplete understanding of genetic drift. The insights gained from this testing will, over time, allow us to improve instruction about this key component of evolution.     

Suboptimal choice in nonhuman animals: Rats commit the sunk cost error

The present experiments investigated the sunk cost error, an apparently irrational tendency to persist with an initial investment, in rats. This issue is of interest because some have argued that nonhuman animals do not commit this error. Two or three fixed-ratio (FR) response requirements were arranged on one lever, and an escape option was arranged on a second lever. The FRs were of different sizes, and escaping was the behavior of interest. Several variables that might influence the decision to persist versus escape were manipulated: the number of trials with different FR schedules in an experimental session (Exps. 1 and 2), effort to escape (Exp. 2), and the size of the larger FR (Exp. 3). The sunk cost error would result in never escaping, and the optimal strategy would be to escape from the larger FR. The main variable that determined persisting versus escaping was the size of the large FR. Rats that escaped from the large FR-apparently optimal behavior-did so at a suboptimal point, and hence committed the sunk cost error.     

Inclusion of students with disability in physical education: a qualitative meta-analysis

Inclusive physical education (PE) for students with disability (SWD) evolved in line with ethical requirements and stakeholder morality. While inclusive PE is embraced at a conceptual level and desired at the classroom level, the complexity of successful implementation often remains overlooked in policy and curriculum guidelines. Qualitative studies on inclusive PE are generally small-scale, context-specific and limited in applicability to other settings, while current narrative reviews may indiscriminately select qualitative findings. To overcome existing limitations and extend understanding of world-wide teaching and learning experiences within inclusive PE, we conducted qualitative meta-analysis to systematically synthesise primary qualitative findings into secondary interpretations. First, 7 electronic databases were systematically searched to identify peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2016. Of 672 identified records, 12 met pre-set inclusion criteria. Second, an inductive-deductive hybrid analysis approach revealed two major and eight minor themes. Overall, themes indicated physical educators conceptually embraced inclusive PE with a creative outlook for collaboration, knowledge and support. Cooperative and supportive efforts between physical educators, SWD, parents and teacher aides are valued in creating PE environments that effectively respond to learner diversity. While access to practical teaching guidance remains scarce, this study may contribute to physical educator practice.     

Effectiveness of hand cooling and a cooling jacket on post-exercise cooling rates in hyperthermic athletes

This study compared the effects of a hand cooling glove (～16°C water temperature; subatmospheric pressure of ?40 mmHg) and a cooling jacket (CJ) on post-exercise cooling rates (gastrointestinal core temperature, Tc; skin temperature, Tsk) and cognitive performance (the Stroop Colour–Word test). Twelve male athletes performed four trials (within subjects, counterbalanced design) involving cycling at a workload equivalent to 75% ?O₂max in heat (35.7?±?0.2°C, 49.2?±?2.6% RH) until a Tc of 39°C or exhaustion occurred. A 30-min cooling period (in 22.3?±?0.3°C, 42.1?±?3.6% RH) followed, where participants adopted either one-hand cooling (1H), two-hand cooling (2H), wore a CJ or no cooling (NC). No significant differences were seen in Tc and Tsk cooling rates between trials; however, moderate effect sizes (d?=?0.50–0.76) suggested Tc cooling rates to be faster for 1H, 2H and CJ compared to NC after 5 min; 1H and CJ compared to NC after 10 min and for CJ to be faster than 2H at 25–30 min. Reaction times on the cognitive test were similar between all trials after the 30 min cooling/no-cooling period (p?>?.05). In conclusion, Tc cooling rates were faster with 1H and CJ during the first 10 min compared to NC, with minimal benefit associated with 2H cooling. Reaction time responses were not impacted by the use of the glove(s) or CJ.