Silents Please

Conclusions It is quite evident that the auditory aspects of the film used in the study superseded the visual ones. Since both sensory modalities can reinforce each other in many films, those films can be used to educational advantage. Behavioral science films, however—placing most importance not on the habit of looking, but on the power to observe with care—should be produced and selected with caution. Such films should present only material that is visually and auditorily congruent. Lacking this congruency, the films may teach what is said, not what is seen, a procedure that defeats the very purpose of the film. This kind of film teaching may further authoritarianism and armchair “philosophy, ” and may weaken the habit of accurate observation, essential both to scientific methodology and to successful everyday living. It is difficult to compare the results of this study directly with the results of other studies, since—as Allen has pointed out (1)—there is a dearth of experimental research involving “flat” pictures. Hartman, however, recently commenting on the interference and facilitation between pictorial and verbal channels, pointed out that it is dangerous to assume a mutual strengthening (3). Results of the experiment reported here suggest again that the viewer when presented “equivocal” material gives precedence to audition. By thus accepting and remembering only the narrator’s point of view, he may narrow his own judgment and inquisitiveness. In such cases, silents please!     

Individual and Peer Characteristics in Predicting Boys' Early Onset of Substance Abuse: A Seven-Year Longitudinal Study

Early onset of substance abuse is a clear marker for future maladjustment in adolescents. The present study employed data originating from 755 6-year-old boys from low SES neighborhoods, who were followed through age 13, to predict this marker. 3 models were tested using LISREL analyses to determine whether individual characteristics and/or peer influences were linked to subsequent substance abuse. Individual characteristics consisted of fighting, hyperactivity, oppositional behaviors, and likability. Peer influences referred to mutual friends' characteristics (aggressiveness and likability). Data were obtained from 3 different sources: teacher ratings, peer ratings, and self-reports. Results were replicated at ages 10, 11, and 12 years with 3 subsamples of the original sample and indicated that individual characteristics, more than friends' deviance, are pivotal in the development of substance abuse. This finding is consistent with results from other longitudinal studies involving children from a variety of cultural backgrounds. It suggests that prevention programs should target individual characteristics and begin at an early age.     

Mathematical olympiads in the People's Republic of China

Conclusions This new series of Chinese olympiads is admittedly experimental. Chinese educators are studying the results of these contests. Building upon this acquired experience, they hope to improve and expand such competitions in the future. New standards of mathematical excellence are now being established in the PRC and future mathematical olympiads will accordingly be more demanding. It appears evident that in the near future, a team from the People's Republic of China will participate in the International Mathematical Olympiad [10].