bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS
Authors: ENTWISTLE N. J. , NISBET JENNIFER , ENTWISTLE DOROTHY , COWELL M. D.
Published: May 2011

Summary. The development of scales of motivation, study methods and examination technique is reported, together with evidence of test/retest reliability. Validity is inferred from correlations with the Brown‐Holtzman scales and with a criterion of academic performance obtained for 898 university students, 562 college of education students and 190 students in polytechnics and colleges of technology. Multiple correlation coefficients indicate improvements on A‐level grades through the use of these scales together with measures of academic aptitude and personality.
THE NATIONAL SURVEY OF HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT: 2. RATE OF SCHOOL PROGRESS BETWEEN 8 AND 15 YEARS AND BETWEEN 15 AND 18 YEARS
Authors: ROSS JEAN M. , SIMPSON H. R.
Published: May 2011

Summary. This second paper, on the boys and girls in the National Survey of Health and Development, uses the two measures of school attainment described in the first paper. The relative rate of the educational development of pupils was assessed during the two periods 8–15and 15–18, using an analysis of variance method involving the fitting of constants. Although the major part of the differences in ability and attainment associated with parents' education and family size may be traced to the years before 8, these two factors continue to influence rate of progress over the two periods studied. Pupils are considerably affected by their parents' educational background, and those from large families are also retarded to a significant extent in both of the periods studied. Fathers' education was found to be slightly more important than the mothers' during the first, though not during the second period, and especially so with the boys.
AN EVALUATION OF PERCEIVED ITEM‐DIFFICULTY SEQUENCING IN ACADEMIC TESTING
Authors: MUNZ D. C. , JACOBS P. D.
Published: May 2011

Summary. In order to evaluate a method for deriving subjective item‐difficulty values and to assess the effects of subjective item‐difficulty sequencing in academic testing, 142 introductory psychology students and nine introductory psychology instructors scaled 210 multiple‐choice examination questions on the subjective difficulty students would experience when attempting to solve an item. Item arrangements, hard‐to‐easy (H‐E), easy‐to‐hard (E‐H), and random (R) were constructed using perceived item‐difficulty values and randomly distributed the following semester as a final examination to 133 introductory psychology students. Prior to the final examination the Achievement Anxiety Test was administered. To assess the effects of item sequencing on the examinee a situational measure of test‐taking anxiety was taken along with test evaluation information and performance data. Results suggested that (1) test constructors should consider the effects of subjective item‐difficulty sequencing on the examinee's test evaluation as providing the only empirical justification for advocating that items be sequenced E‐H, and (2) measurement of the test content factor is contaminated by test‐taking anxiety to a greater degree under the R and E‐H sequence formats than under the H‐E format.
THE RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE PERSIAN FORM OF AH5
Authors: MEHRYAR A. H. , SHAPURIAN R.
Published: May 2011

Summary. An investigation into the test‐retest reliability and validity of the Persian form of AH5 is reported. Among 100 12th grade students, the test correlated significantly with another measure of verbal ability (Otis) and a composite mean score representing past academic performance. Test‐retest reliability coefficients over four weeks (117 12th grade boys) and 12 months (108 12th grade boys) were relatively low but comparable to those recorded for the English version. There was considerable rise in mean score from the first to the second administration and some evidence that those with lower initial scores tended to gain more in the second administration than those with higher initial scores.
THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN INTELLIGENCE, PERSONALITY AND CREATIVITY UNDER TWO CONDITIONS OF STRESS
Authors: LEITH G.
Published: May 2011

Summary. The experiment set out to determine whether responses to creativity tests are influenced by the personality of the subjects and by the amount of stress imposed by different testing procedures. 106 children aged 9, 11 and 13 years were given an intelligence test and tests of extraversion and anxiety according to test manual directions and three verbal, creativity tests were given in a relaxed atmosphere to half of the children and in a moderately stressful manner to the remainder. The results indicate that the number and originality of responses is greater in the stressful condition and that there is a disordinal interaction of both extraversion and anxiety with stress.
A DEVELOPMENTAL STUDY OF ATTENTION
Authors: GALE A. , LYNN R.
Published: May 2011

Summary. This is a study of the development of attention in young children. A continuous response, 40‐minute auditory vigilance task, was administered to 612 children between the ages of 7 to 13. Performance improved with age, with greatest improvement between the ages of 8 and 9. Girls were significantly better than boys at ages 7, 8 and 12. There were no correlations (within sub‐samples) between vigilance performance and intelligence (Raven's Progressive Matrices and Crichton Vocabulary Scale) or between vigilance performance and personality (extraversion and neuroticism scores on the Junior Eysenck Personality Inventory). All age groups showed variation in performance (the ‘vigilance decrement’) within the task. Results are compared with previous findings and it is concluded that (i) attentional capacity is independent of intelligence and (ii) that critical changes in this capacity may occur between ages 8 and 9.
THE EFFECTS OF PROVIDING A WARNING ABOUT THE LIE SCALE IN A PERSONALITY INVENTORY
Authors: NIAS D. K. B.
Published: May 2011

Summary. A new method of encouraging truthful answers to a questionnaire was investigated. 262 school pupils aged 12 and 13 years completed a revised version of the Junior Eysenck Personality Inventory. The scale was administered to half the group (controls) with the normal instructions while the others (experimental group) were, in addition, given information drawing attention to the existence of a ‘lie’ scale. The experimental group obtained a lower L score, and a higher score on psychoticism, and neuroticism (boys only); the effect on extraversion was not significant. The results from the experimental instructions were found to compare favourably with those from alternative ‘correction’ procedures, such as eliminating individuals with high L scores from the group analysis, or statistically adjusting scores on the basis of their correlation with L. It is thus suggested that the procedure of warning subjects about the presence of a ‘lie’ scale may prove useful as a standard practice in personality assessment.
THE ACADEMIC PROGRESS OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS FROM CO‐EDUCATIONAL AND SINGLE‐SEX SCHOOLS*
Authors: DALE R. R. , MILLER P. McC.
Published: May 2011

Summary. A comparison of the first‐year progress of university students from co‐educational schools with those from single‐sex schools was made by a matched pair procedure. All students who met the A‐level criteria for matching were extracted from those who took the examination of the WJEC in a three‐year entry to Welsh University Colleges, with first‐year results unknown to the selectors. Variables matched or separated were Arts/Science, sex, population of school area, social class, university institution, and aspects of A‐level attainment, namely, number of subjects taken, best subject, average grade and number of attempts. In Arts there was virtual equality, but in Science the co‐educated made slightly the better progress, significantly so by comparison of failures.
SOME UNUSUAL CONSERVATION BEHAVIOUR IN CHILDREN EXPOSED TO TWO CULTURES
Authors: KELLY M. , TENEZAKIS M. , HUNTSMAN R.
Published: May 2011

Summary. Greek migrant children attending Sydney (NSW) schools and taught in English were tested for conservation of number and length in both Greek and English. They were pre‐tested in both languages for understanding of the terms to be used in the conservation test. 25 per cent of children who passed the language pre‐tests and failed to conserve in English, did show conservation when subsequently tested in Greek but again failed to conserve in a post‐test in English. This finding is not in accord with Piaget's view of the inter‐relationships of language and cognition.
INEQUALITIES OF TEACHER‐PUPIL CONTACTS
Authors: GARNER J. , BING MARION
Published: May 2011

Summary. The ways in which teacher‐pupil contacts are distributed between 179 pupils in five first‐year junior school classes are examined. Inequalities of distribution are demonstrated, and evidence from teacher ratings suggests that the children receiving high levels of contact are either active, bright, personable children, or active, duller, miscreants. Different kinds of contacts are received by these two groups of children.
A COMPARISON OF DYSLEXICS AND NORMALS IN RECALLING LETTER ARRAYS AFTER BRIEF PRESENTATION
Authors: STANLEY G. , HALL R.
Published: May 2011

Summary. The study was designed to examine differences in the performance of dyslexic and normal children in the recall of letter arrays which were presented for varying durations. Thirty‐three dyslexic and 33 normal children aged between 8 and 12 years were recruited for the study. The results show significant differences in the level of performance rather than differences in kind of visual information processing and would support the notion of a developmental lag in visual memory.
IMAGERY INSTRUCTIONS AND THE COMPREHENSION OF TEXT
Authors: KULHAVY R. W. , SWENSON INGRID
Published: May 2011

Summary. 119 fifth‐ and sixth‐grade children read a 20‐paragraph text, with half of the groups receiving a test immediately after reading. One week after learning, all children were given a delayed test. The tests measured both verbatim and semantic recall of questions seen during the initial reading. Half of the children received instructions to form mental pictures of the text events during learning. The remaining half of each group were merely told to read carefully. Control groups read only text or only text‐related questions. Analysis of the pooled delay scores showed a decided superiority for learners receiving imagery instructions. The instructed children also recalled more semantic than verbatim test items. These data indicate that using image instructions with text material increases the amount of content remembered over time.
PERSONALITY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BOTH INTENDED AND ACTUAL SOCIAL SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING MAJORS
Authors: HORN J. M. , TURNER R. G. , DAVIS LINDA S.
Published: May 2011

Summary. The Maudsley Personality Inventory was used in a search for personality differences between 139 social science and 328 engineering upperclassmen. Social science majors scored significantly higher than the engineers on the neuroticism scale. A second study of 454 high school seniors showed that those who indicated a preference for a social science major also scored significantly higher on neuroticism than high school seniors who wanted to major in engineering. The results were interpreted to mean that social science and engineering attract different types of people. The over‐representation of social science majors and under‐representation of engineers in radical political groups was discussed from the point of view of the personality factors influencing the choice of majors.
ASSOCIATIVE STRUCTURE OF SCIENCE CONCEPTS
Authors: PREECE P. F. W.
Published: May 2011

Summary. The structures underlying the continued word associations to 15 concept words drawn from mechanics were investigated in samples (N=20) ranging from secondary school first‐formers to university science graduates. Substantial re‐test stability of group structures was established and comparison of the structures with various theoretical schemes showed that a hierarchical model was a good representation for those knowledgeable in physics.
SYMBOLISM AND INTELLECTUAL REALISM IN CHILDREN'S DRAWINGS
Authors: BARRETT M. D. , LIGHT P. H.
Published: May 2011

Summary. Various distinctions which have been applied to the development of children's drawings are considered critically, and a distinction between symbolism and intellectual realism is suggested. Drawings made by 42 5‐ to 7‐year‐old children of familiar objects with distinctive characteristics were examined. Results provided support for the suggested symbolic or generic character of much children's drawing.
INFORMAL OR OPEN‐AREA EDUCATION IN RELATION TO ACHIEVEMENT AND PERSONALITY
Authors: BELL ANNE E. , ZIPURSKY MYRNA A. , SWITZER F.
Published: May 2011

Summary. 57 beginners in an informal or open‐area programme and 112 in a traditional, formal classroom in a middle class area, apparently well‐matched in perceptual, motor and cognitive skills, were followed through the primary grades. Statistical analysis of achievement data showed that the formal group from the beginning had been more proficient in reading, and later, also in mathematics. There were significant differences between matched groups (N = 43) at the fourth year on seven primary CPQ factors and the second‐order factor Anxiety vs Adjustment. Mean scores, however, with one exception (F) remained well within normal limits. Total Grade, a derived score which concerns estimation of academic success, was higher for the informal children but was predictive of achievement only for the formal group.
LEVELS OF CONCEPT ACQUISITION AND CONCEPT MATURATION IN STUDENTS OF CHEMISTRY
Authors: KEMPA R. F. , HODGSON G. H.
Published: May 2011

Summary. Levels of concept acquisition in terms of attribute perception were examined for 20 different chemical concepts featuring in GCE O‐level school chemistry courses. The instrument used was a ‘concept perception’ test describing concept attributes in a hierarchical sequence ranging from a specific, concrete level to a generalised abstract level. This test was administered to 560 14 to 16‐year‐old secondary school pupils. Findings indicate that levels of concept acquisition change significantly from the concrete to the abstract description with the advancement of students from the third to the fifth form level, but the absolute level of the association of concept labels with their abstract interpretation is generally low even at the highest educational level examined. The adjustment from concrete to abstract attributes of chemical concepts appears strongly dependent on the length of concept maturation periods, but is not influenced by students' IQ levels.
PARENT PARTICIPATION IN PRE‐SCHOOL EDUCATION
Authors: DONACHY W.
Published: May 2011

Summary. 48 pre‐school children receiving a four‐month programme administered by mothers at home and organised through the local primary school or nursery were compared with 48 children receiving either the ordinary nursery routine or no intervention between tests. Children receiving the parent programme made significant gains on the Stanford‐Binet and Reynell Developmental Language Scales. Children receiving nursery enrichment, but no parent programme, made significant gains also on the Stanford‐Binet, but not on the RDLS. Children receiving no intervention between tests did not make significant gains on either measure. No relationship was established between Stanford‐Binet gains and social class.
DIMENSIONS OF STUDY BEHAVIOUR: ANOTHER LOOK AT ATI
Authors: BIGGS J. B.
Published: May 2011

Summary. This paper reports a series of studies in the development of a Study Behaviour Questionnaire (SBQ), for use with university students. The major problem in the present research was to determine optimal ways of combining SBQ item scores: by sorting people's responses to items (R‐analysis), or by sorting items on the basis of how they discriminate between people (Q‐analysis).

464 Arts and Science first‐year students completed the SBQ. The responses were analysed in both R and Q designs, and the resulting scale scores for each student were merged with his high school and university performance data. In the R‐analysis, 102 items were selected to sample 10 domains of study behaviour, and responses to these items were subjected to an oblique multiple group method of factor analysis. The 10 domains of study behaviour were confirmed although there was some significant intercorrelation between domains. In the Q‐analysis, four students were chosen at random from the Ability (high, medium, low) × Faculty (Arts, Science) × Sex matrix, replicated once. These categories were called ‘tests,’ and the items ‘people.’ Using an oblique Procrustes method of factoring, three Q‐scales were obtained. Factor scores on each of the 10 R and three Q scales were obtained for each student, and relationships with sex, faculty and performance were investigated.
ANALYSIS OF CHILDREN'S COMPUTATIONAL ERRORS: A QUALITATIVE APPROACH
Authors: ENGELHARDT J. M.
Published: May 2011

Summary. This study was designed to replicate and extend Roberts' efforts at classifying computational errors. 198 third‐ and sixth‐grade pupils were administered an 84‐item arithmetic computation test. Those items identified as having incorrect responses were analysed to infer probable student approaches or misconceptions leading to those responses. According to their commonalities, these inferences were clustered to form error types. This procedure resulted in the identification of eight types of errors, two of which corresponded to error types described by Roberts. These were basic fact, grouping, inappropriate inversion, incorrect operation, defective algorithm, incomplete algorithm, identity and zero errors. Finally, examining the distribution of errors according to these eight types led to several tentative generalisations.
PIAGET'S PSYCHOLOGY IN PRACTICE*
Authors: SMEDSLUND J.
Published: May 2011

Summary. AS a result of eight years' experience of Piagetian research and subsequent work as a practising psychologist, certain aspects of Piaget's theories are criticised. In particular the existential status of operatory structures, the relation between logicality and understanding, and the representativeness of the tasks are questioned. Piagetian theory is seen as forcing the psychologist to adopt an artificially detached and one‐sidedly cognitive attitude towards children, and to focus interest entirely on very abstract aspects of performance. While accepting the historical importance of Piaget's contributions, it is argued that the limitations and constraints implicit in the theory seriously threaten its usefulness in practical situations.
ACTIVITY IN THE LEARNING OF PIAGETIAN OPERATIONAL THINKING
Authors: ANTHONY W. S.
Published: May 2011

Summary. Piaget has stated that the child's active manipulation of objects is a necessary part of teaching for intellectual development. But this appears to be contrary to empirical evidence. From a review of literature, it is concluded that Piaget's insistence on physical activity, and his dismissal of observation, are excessive.
SEX ROLES IN DIVERGENT THINKING
Authors: HARGREAVES D. J.
Published: May 2011

Summary. A content analysis of responses to the ’Circles’; test, designed to elicit information about sex‐typing, was developed on a pilot sample of 10‐ to 11‐year‐old school children. When this analysis was applied to the main sample, characteristic sex‐typed response patterns were broadly replicated, as was the finding that there was no sex difference in total Fluency scores. When instructed to adopt opposite‐sex response styles on a parallel form of the same test, boys and girls in the main study showed a remarkable ability to reverse their normal patterns of response. The hypothesis that children with high Fluency scores under normal conditions would be more capable of carrying out this reversal than those with low Fluency scores was not supported. It is argued that sex‐typed response styles are by no means unmodifiable psychological characteristics, and that investigations of individual differences in cognition need to emphasise styles, as well as levels, of test performance.
A NOTE ON JENSEN'S THEORY OF LEVEL 1 ABILITY AND RECENT RESEARCH ON HUMAN MEMORY
Authors: LAWSON M. J. , JARMAN R. F.
Published: May 2011

Summary. The assumptions of Jensen's theory of Level 1 ability are examined in the light of recent research on memory. Experimental studies of organisation in both serial and free recall, as well as factor analytic investigations of sequential memory indicate that the current theory requires revision in order to accommodate recent findings. Any revision should include the effects of subject‐initiated learning strategies, and give more consideration to the nature of transforming processes.
THE PERSONALITY STRUCTURE OF BOYS IN A REGIONAL ASSESSMENT CENTRE
Authors: WHITTAKER E. MARIANNE
Published: May 2011

Summary. 202 boys entering a regional assessment centre in Britain run by the social service department of a local authority were given the HSPQ as part of general assessment procedures. The mean age of the boys was 14 years 11 months. Correlations between HSPQ factor scores and various chosen areas of functioning by the boys, measured by other tests and by rating, had not given significant results. The factor analysis of their HSPQ results on the other hand revealed two common factors, anxiety peculiar to the sample, and self‐sufficiency. It is suggested that further research is needed to explore the implications of these factors for response to treatment. There was a marked affinity between the personality traits of the boys in the assessment centre with boys of the same age in the British Standardisation Sample for the HSPQ test.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, ATTAINMENT AND BEHAVIOUR
Authors: FOGELMAN K.
Published: May 2011

Summary. Data from the National Child Development Study are used to examine the relationship between school attendance, at the ages of 7 and 15, and reading and mathematics test scores and school behaviour at the age of 16. A relationship between attendance and attainment is found, which is reduced but remains statistically significant after allowance for related social factors. The relationship between 15‐year attendance and attainment is reasonably consistent across categories of the social factors, e.g. for different social classes. The relationship between 7‐year attendance and 16‐year attainment and behaviour is not significant once allowance for attendance at 15 is made.
ATTITUDINAL CORRELATES OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN
Authors: BANRETI‐FUCHS K. M.
Published: May 2011

Summary. The relationship between three levels of academic achievement and various attitudinal variables was investigated. Using the regression equation method, a sample of 275 male and 263 female grade six elementary school children were assigned to an under‐achieving, average‐achieving, or over‐achieving group. The children completed three attitude tests, and the items which discriminated between the three groups were subjected to factor analysis. For the boys five factors were identified, and for the girls four. Subsequently, the average‐achieving subjects, males as well as females, were subdivided in terms of intelligence into three groups, and the items which discriminated between these subgroups were subjected to factor analysis. Twelve factors were identified for the boys and five for the girls, indicating that the average‐achievers do not constitute a homogeneous group with regard to the attitudinal correlates of academic achievement. These correlates vary apparently not only as a function of level of academic achievement, but as a combined function of level of academic achievement and intelligence.
AN APPROACH TO THE DEFINITION OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES IN SCHOOL MATHEMATICS
Authors: HALFORD G. S.
Published: May 2011

Summary. Three levels of mathematical concepts are outlined. Level 1 consists of concepts which depend on binary relations and unary operations. Level 2 consists of concepts which can be encoded as binary operations, and Level 3 consists of concepts which can be expressed as compositions of binary operations. Three levels of cognitive development which correspond in theory to the levels of mathematical concept understanding are outlined, and appropriate illustrative performances are given. Samples of Australian and Canadian school children were tested on problems designed to require Level 2 or 3 mathematical understanding. Success rates were consistent with predictions for each age group. The application of cognitive development theory to the teaching of mathematics to children is considered, and an alternative approach is proposed. It is specifically predicted that ability to attain concepts at any of the three levels will be a function of information‐processing capacity, which will be a necessary but not sufficient condition. Once the minimum required information‐processing capacity is available, acquisition will be a function of experience and task variables. Thus concepts should be expected to emerge neither synchronously nor in any defined sequence, and they should emerge gradually rather than abruptly across an entire population.
PLAY AND NON‐PLAY TUTORING IN PRE‐SCHOOL CHILDREN: IS IT PLAY OR TUTORING WHICH MATTERS?
Authors: SMITH P. K. , SYDDALL SUSAN
Published: May 2011

Summary. Despite interest in whether play is important in learning and development, little firm evidence exists. Some recent experimental studies have shown that encouraging fantasy and sociodramatic play in pre‐school children may lead to gains in many wider aspects of competence. These gains have been ascribed to the increase in play. A critical analysis of this work reveals that insufficient control for the tutoring experience was used; competence gains may have been due to the adult contact in tutoring rather than to the play per se. A study is reported in which observations of both play and skills tutoring revealed that the conditions were matched for tutor verbal contact. In these circumstances, differential advantages to the play‐tutored children were few, and were quite specific to sociodramatic play experience. It is suggested that the most parsimonious explanation of the previous studies is that most of the differential gains in wider aspects of competence were due to differences in the quality or quantity of tutor‐child interaction.
EXPECTANCY AS A FUNCTION OF SEX, GRADE, FEEDBACK LEVEL AND PERFORMER
Authors: COOPER J. L.
Published: May 2011

Summary. Accuracy of expectation for oneself and for another person was assessed on a perceptual judgment task given to 60 children from each of three grades—first, third and fifth. Significant main effects of Grade and Feedback Level were observed, whereas the significant Performer (self vs. other) main effect was confounded by a Grade X Performer interaction. Older children were more accurate than younger, high feedback students more accurate than low and other judgments were more accurate than self at the fifth‐grade level. The Sex difference main effect was non‐significant.
VISUAL MOTOR SHORT TERM MEMORY IN EDUCATIONALLY SUBNORMAL BOYS
Authors: SUGDEN D. A.
Published: May 2011

Summary. 45 ESN boys in three mental age groups of 6, 9, and 12 years were examined for developmental trends and rehearsal strategies on a visual motor short term memory task. Comparisons were made with 45 normal boys aged 6, 9, and 12. Developmental trends and rehearsal strategies were almost totally absent in ESN boys. Normal boys were superior to ESN boys when central processing space was available during a condition of rest. No differences were evident when central processing was prevented during an interpolated activity condition. It was concluded that normal–ESN differences could be attributed to lack of mnemonic strategies in the ESN boys.
AN EVALUATION OF THE McCARTHY SCALES OF CHILDREN'S ABILITIES
Authors: EISER CHRISTINE
Published: May 2011

Summary. The McCarthy scales which were designed to assess general intellectual abilities in the 2½ to 8½ age‐range are described and criticised on the basis of substantial experience in their use as a research instrument. It is concluded that the test is particularly useful for the assessment of the pre‐school child.
COVARIATION OF COGNITIVE STYLES, INTELLIGENCE AND ACHIEVEMENT
Authors: SATTERLY D. J.
Published: May 2011

Summary. A hierarchical factor analysis of the scores of 430 pupils was performed on a matrix of correlations between three measures of cognitive style (analytic‐synthetic; field independence; levelling‐sharpening) and achievement in mathematics, geography and English. Factors of general ability, field independence and levelling‐sharpening were identified. Analysis of a reduced correlation matrix suggested that field independence shares a small amount of variance with achievement after control for general ability.
EFFECTS OF ILLUSTRATIONS ON EARLY ORAL READING ACCURACY, STRATEGIES AND COMPREHENSION
Authors: DONALD D. R.
Published: May 2011

Summary. Previous conclusions regarding the negative effects of illustration on learning to read are challenged. The view that reading is a linguistically and contextually constrained process demands that the effects of illustration be evaluated in this context and not only on isolated word recognition. Clarity is also sought on the issue of comprehension. For 20 average, second‐year readers, reading continuous text with and without illustration, it was found that illustration: (a) facilitated contextual word recognition accuracy, strategies reflecting use of contextual cues, the self‐monitoring strategy of self‐correction, and comprehension at the level of literal idea recall; (b) interfered with the use of graphic cues; and (c) had no effect on comprehension at the level of inference beyond literal content.
SHERLOCK HOLMES MEETS OTHELLO: A MDS ANALYSIS OF LITERARY CHARACTERS
Authors: RUSSELL G. W. , LAMBERT W. B.
Published: May 2011

Summary. Changes in students' perceptual organisation of the characters from Othello after three weeks of study and lectures were assessed using multidimensional scaling procedures. Senior Sherlockians also provided dissimilarity ratings of a sample of characters from the Conan Doyle stories. Evaluative and Sophistication dimensions dominated the solutions for both groups of judges. The students used an important Demeanour dimension and a Sexuality dimension in the pre‐lecture stage. Discussion centred on the emphases and interpretations offered in the lectures on Othello and the extent to which they may have effected changes in the order and distances of major characters along the principal dimensions.
SELF‐REGARD OF PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN: SOME AUSTRALIAN DATA
Authors: ELLERMAN D. A.
Published: May 2011

Summary. Samples of children (N = 1,267) attending primary schools in an Australian rural setting completed the Where Are You Game for the assessment of self‐regard, in order to investigate the test's psychometric properties and the correlates of test scores. Results showed the test to yield meaningful scores over the full age‐range of primary school, and to have acceptable estimated reliability. Factor analysis indicated the test to be uni‐factorial in structure. Correlations with observer ratings of pupil characteristics showed considerable convergent validity. Analysis of variance indicated that younger children had more favourable self‐regard than older children, those with good school achievement saw themselves more favourably than low achievers, the boys more favourably than girls. It is concluded that the test shows promise as a research instrument.
CAUSAL PERCEPTIONS OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE BY ADVANTAGED, INTEGRATED AND DISADVANTAGED PUPILS
Authors: RAVIV A. , RAVIV ALONA , BAR‐TAL Y.
Published: May 2011

Summary. One hundred and thirty‐four sixth‐grade pupils belonging to different social groups, upper middle class of European‐American and Israeli origin (advantaged pupils), lower middle class of European‐American, Asian‐African and Israeli origin (integrated pupils), and lower class of Asian‐African origin only (disadvantaged pupils) were asked to attribute causality for their success or failure, following a real test in mathematics. The results showed that in the case of success all three groups of pupils tended to attribute the outcome more to internal than to external causes and more to stable than to unstable causes. In the case of failure, advantaged pupils tended to attribute the outcome more to internal than to external causes, integrated and disadvantaged pupils tended to attribute their failure more to stable rather than unstable causes. The implications of these results are discussed.
ACHIEVEMENT PERFORMANCE OF INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY ORIENTED BLACK AND WHITE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS UNDER CONDITIONS OF COMPETITION AND CO‐OPERATION EXPECTANCIES*
Authors: FRY P. S. , COE K. J.
Published: May 2011

Summary. In order to test the hypothesis that factors of racial differences may mediate the locus of control‐achievement relationship, high school students were asked to co‐operate with or compete against partners of within‐race or opposite race. As hypothesised, the achievement behaviour of internally oriented black students was more influenced by the race of the interactor and the competitive‐co‐operative expectancies in the task than that of the white students. While the achievement performance of internally oriented blacks improved more than did the achievement of external blacks, internal blacks increased their performance most when competing against whites or when co‐operating with other blacks. The findings have implications for classroom practice and achievement performance, especially in schools that have desegregated multiracial programmes.
CONFLICT BETWEEN CUES IN NUMBER CONSERVATION TASKS
Authors: Millar Carole , Mackay C. K.
Published: May 2011

Summary. Thirty primary school children, aged between 5 years 0 months and 5 years 11 months, were given number conservation tasks adapted from Bryant (1974). The tasks were at two levels, viz., within the children's subitising range and within their counting range. For the experimental group, elements of the two rows were joined by thread thus provoking a one‐to‐one correspondence across rows. The experimental group's performance was very significantly better than that of the control group thus supporting the view that, when one‐to‐one correspondence is a salient cue, young children can apply the principle of invariance effectively. A significant difference between performance at the subitising and counting levels is interpreted as support for the view that number invariance is initially developed for small numbers and then extended into the counting range.
HIGHLY ANXIOUS PUPILS IN FORMAL AND INFORMAL PRIMARY CLASSROOMS; THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INFERRED COPING STRATEGIES AND: I—COGNITIVE ATTAINMENT
Authors: WADE BARBARA E.
Published: May 2011

Summary. This study was carried out in conjunction with the Teaching Styles project (Bennett, 1976). Questionnaire measures of ‘anxiety’ and ‘achievement motivation’, together with cognitive tests of English, mathematics and reading were administered to a sample of 956 primary school pupils in classes taught by teachers representing formal, informal and mixed teaching styles at the beginning and towards the end of the final year in primary school. Based on the premise that self‐report measures of ‘anxiety’ and ‘achievement motivation’ may be indicative of coping strategies, zonal analyses of post‐test data were carried out separately by sex and within teaching style. Results showed higher levels of attainment for highly anxious highly motivated pupils (an inferred coping strategy of approach) than for highly anxious low motivated pupils (an inferred coping strategy of avoidance). Further analyses indicated a close link between anxiety, motivation and ability for girls, a finding interpreted in terms of sex‐related conformity, but for boys considerable discrepancies in attainment in relation to the inferred coping strategies were still in evidence at the lower ability level under all teaching styles. At the upper ability level significant discrepancies in attainment were shown only for boys in formal classrooms, where an inferred coping strategy of ‘approach’ was found to be associated with the highest level of attainment and an inferred coping strategy of ‘avoidance’ was associated with the lowest level of attainment. These findings are interpreted in terms of extrinsic motivational incentives, success and failure experience and possible parental influence. Further analysis indicated that ‘avoiders' tended to be introverted and ‘approachers' extraverted in personality. This finding is interpreted in the light of Gray's 1970 postulate that introverts are relatively more susceptible to punishment/non‐reward, whereas extraverts are relatively more susceptible to reward.
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ANXIETY AND CLASSROOM BEHAVIOURS OF ADULT LEARNERS
Authors: LAM Y. L. J.
Published: May 2011

Summary. The relationship between three types of anxiety and eight types of classroom behaviours was examined. Data for the study were gathered through both questionnaire and observation at the beginning, midway through and during the final phase of the teaching‐learning process from 81 adult learners attending courses at Brandon University. Findings from the study seem to hold promise of a better understanding of the intangible mental state of adult learners from their overt behaviours as correlation and canonical variate analyses revealed close and direct relationships among anxiety and behaviour variables. Further, the communication anxiety theory seemed also to be verified as there was definitely a difference between high and low anxiety learners in the frequency of behaviours displayed.
AUSTRALIAN AND FILIPINO INVESTIGATIONS OF THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF BIGGS' NEW STUDY PROCESS QUESTIONNAIRE
Authors: HATTIE J. , WATKINS D.
Published: May 2011

Summary. The internal structure of the new Study Process Questionnaire (Biggs, 1979) was investigated with samples of 255 Australian and 173 Filipino university students. The internal consistency reliabilities, item and subscale factor analyses were quite favourable for the Australian sample, supporting Biggs' model of the study process complex. However, the low to moderate reliabilities and failure of factor analysis to support Biggs' model indicates that the SPQ may not be suitable for Filipino students.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SELF‐ESTEEM QUESTIONNAIRE
Authors: LAWRENCE D.
Published: May 2011

Summary. The questionnaire (LAWSEQ) was constructed to measure self‐esteem in primary school children. The questions were selected to cover the main areas of concern shown by children in an earlier counselling study. There were 20 questions in the original version, including four innocuous ones, and with a parallel form (Form B). In the final version the questionnaire comprises 16 items, chosen as a result of an item analysis carried out by the University of Bristol Department of Child Health.
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN THE ACQUISITION OF KINSHIP TERMS
Authors: MACASKILL ANN
Published: May 2011

Summary. This paper presents normative data on the comprehension of kin terms by children, which is then examined in terms of the Piagetian hypothesis that language acquisition is dependent on cognitive development in the child. The order in which kin terms were comprehended followed a definite pattern in terms of the sorts of relationships which were involved, the number of relational components in the terms and the cognitive demands that the comprehension of these relationships made on the child. These data seemed to support the Piagetian position, and particular cognitive operations which appeared to relate causally to the development of kin terms were discussed.
VISUAL PERCEPTION: STAGE ONE OF A LONG‐TERM INVESTIGATION INTO COGNITIVE COMPONENTS OF ACHIEVEMENT
Authors: MELTZER LYNN J.
Published: May 2011

Summary.— This study comprised the first stage in a long‐term investigation of various cognitive components of scholastic achievement. The research was prompted by the dearth of comprehensive perceptual measures for diagnostic usage. A set of 19 visual perceptual tasks was assembled for assessing three levels of perception within four sub‐skills, significantly extending the range of diagnostic assessment. These tasks were administered to 122 6‐ to 8‐year‐olds and results were item‐analysed. After 243 children had been tested on the new set, three visual factors were differentiated according to perceptual and conceptual complexity. Cognitive complexity emerged as a more important differentiation than the verbal/non‐verbal and meaningful/non‐meaningful distinctions. Finally, the association between these perceptual measures and reading and arithmetic was assessed.
SEQUENCING OF TEXT MATERIAL IN RELATION TO INFORMATION PROCESSING STRATEGIES
Authors: TILLEMA H.
Published: May 2011

Summary.— Ninety‐five pupils participated in an experiment in which two sequence procedures for presentation of text material were varied in relation to two information‐processing strategies used by the pupils. The first variable, text sequence, tested the hypothesis that interrelation of known and unknown information is necessary for the acquisition of new information. Data analysis showed that the ‘web’ condition resulted in better performance on various dependent variables than the ‘linear’ condition on both the post‐test and the retention test. For the second variable, information processing strategy, it was hypothesised that it would influence the acquisition of newly learned concepts. Only a main effect on performance tests was found. There was no interaction effect of the aptitude and treatment variable.
A STUDY OF PUPILS SUSPENDED FROM SCHOOLS
Authors: GALLOWAY D.
Published: May 2011

Summary. This paper reports the results of a study of pupils who had been suspended from school for disciplinary reasons. The results suggest that the pupils were disturbed constitutionally, and presented severe educational problems which were independent of their behaviour. It is argued that these pupils would cause concern at any school, but that variables within their schools were critical in determining whether their behaviour resulted in suspension.
CORRECTIVE READING PROGRAMME: AN EVALUATION
Authors: GREGORY R. P. , HACKNEY C. , GREGORY N. M.
Published: May 2011

Summary. The four purposes of this paper were: (a) to provide further evaluative data on the Corrective Reading programme; (b) to carry out action‐research with the aim of organisational change in the host secondary school; (c) to demonstrate within‐school evaluation; and (d) to experiment with an alternative role to that of casework for an educational psychologist.

Some of the Direct Instruction and the Corrective Reading programme literature was reviewed. A model of evaluation incorporating a planned‐change model of innovation provides the framework of the paper. The Corrective Reading programme was used with an experimental group of first‐year secondary‐aged children (N = 11) with reading problems, and compared with the school's own remedial provision with a comparison group of similar children (N = 8). In 5 months of teaching the experimental group, on average, gained 1.8 years in reading whilst the comparison group gained 0.2 years. The experimental group also maintained good school behaviour and improved attendance, more so than the comparison group.

This paper exemplifies the co‐operation between psychologist and school in evaluating current and proposed new practice. Such a role for a psychologist is likely to generate more organisational definitions and solutions of school problems than is usual in casework.
SEEQ: A RELIABLE, VALID, AND USEFUL INSTRUMENT FOR COLLECTING STUDENTS' EVALUATIONS OF UNIVERSITY TEACHING
Authors: MARSH H. W.
Published: May 2011

Summary. This study describes research leading to the development and implementation of SEEQ (Students' Evaluations of Educational Quality). SEEQ is an instrument and programme for collecting students' evaluations of college/university teaching. The paper indicates that SEEQ measures nine distinct components of teaching effectiveness that have been identified in both student ratings and faculty self evaluations of their own teaching. Reliability is good when based upon 10 to 15 or more student response; The ratings have successfully been validated against the retrospective ratings of former students, student learning as measured by objective examination, affective course consequences, and staff self evaluations of their own teaching effectiveness. Suspected sources of bias to the ratings have been shown to have little impact. Feedback from student ratings, particularly when coupled with a candid discussion with an external consultant, produced improvement in both subsequent ratings and student learning.
COGNITIVE COMPLEXITY NEUROTICISM AND RESEARCH ABILITY
Authors: ROBERTSON I. T. , MOLLOY K. J.
Published: May 2011

Summary. Students undertaking a particular form of postgraduate (PhD) research which involves collaboration between a university and an external organisation were given a small battery of psychological tests. Test scores were related to ratings of students provided by academic tutors. Students with better ratings displayed low to moderate complexity and low neuroticism. Rudimentary explanations of the results are suggested.
CHILDHOOD EGOCENTRISM: THE ORDER OF ACQUISITION OF BEFORE‐BEHIND AND LEFT‐RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS
Authors: COX M. V. , WILLETTS E.
Published: May 2011

Summary. Piaget and Inhelder (1956) suggest that the development of perspective‐taking ability is sequential: children represent correctly before‐behind relationships earlier than left‐right relationships. Previous studies, however, have not considered the degree of masking present in each of the object arrangements. Three groups of 32 children (6‐, 8‐ and 10‐year‐olds) completed a perspectives task in which two‐dimensional arrays were used, thereby removing the masking variable. Children performed equally well on each type of relationship.
ASSESSING STUDENTS' INTERESTS IN CHEMISTRY
Authors: CARTER GILLIAN E.
Published: May 2011

Summary. The results of the use of a cognitive preference type of questionnaire for assessing chemistry interests of post‐O‐level students are reported. The two main areas considered were ‘principles’ and ‘applications’. The ‘applications’ area was divided into four subcategories and the results suggest that failure to distinguish between different types of applications leads to false conclusions. The major finding was that students do not distinguish between principles and material which is merely of interest to the academic.
THE EFFECT OF PICTURE UPON THE READABILITY OF A SCHOOL SCIENCE TOPIC
Authors: REID D. J. , BRIGGS N. , BEVERIDGE M.
Published: May 2011

Summary. The effect of picture upon the readability of a specially written science topic was studied. 338 14‐year‐old children studying CSE Biology in six comprehensive schools completed a cloze test during their study and an objective items recognition test 15 minutes afterwards. Analysis of variance performed on post‐test scores showed that when pictures were present the topic was more easily remembered. However, pictures played little part in the children's performance on the cloze test. It is concluded that attempts to match science textbooks to their readers solely by the application of standard readability formulae, which are unable to take account of the pictorial content of such materials, are simplistic and misleading.