bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methodological Issues in Life-Span Developmental Psychology from a Dialectical Perspective
Authors: Buss Allan R.
Published: May 2005

In the last few years there have been several studies reported in the literature using bifactorial ANOVA designs for the description and/or explanation of developmental phenomena. As formulated by Schaie and Baltes, these bifactorial ANOVA designs consist of taking any two of age, cohort, or time of measurement as the independent variables. The logic of these designs is carefully considered with respect to answering descriptive and/or explanatory developmental questions. It is concluded that the employment of ANOVA in the manner recommended by Schaie and Baltes has led us down a blind alley with respect to addressing developmental phenomena. Much more reasonable data analysis designs are available for getting at the description and/or explanation of development, namely, regression techniques. The advantages of regression models as compared to ANOVA are disucssed in the context of developmental data analysis. Disenagement theory is singled out for special attention in the context of the dialectic between the individual and the environment.
Physiognomic Cues to Age and the Activation of Stereotypes of the Elderly in Interaction
Authors: Hummert Mary Lee
Published: May 2005

This article reports the results of a study on the relationship between physiognomic cues to age and the activation of positive versus negative stereotypes of elderly individuals in interaction. Predictions were based upon a model of the role of elderly stereotypes in interaction. One group of undergraduates sorted photographs of elderly adults into four age categories, fifty-five to sixty-four, sixty-five to seventy-four, seventy-five and older, and other. Those photographs that were placed in the same age category by two-thirds or more of the students were used as a pool for the second phase of the study. This process produced a set of twenty-four photographs, eight (4 male and 4 female) from each of the three elderly age groups. A second group of students paired these photographs with sets of traits describing ten stereotypes of elderly persons, some positive and some negative. Results indicated that, as predicted by the stereotype-communication model, participants associated the positive stereotypes of elderly individuals with young-old physiognomic characteristics, whereas they associated the negative ones with old-old physiognomy. The results also suggested that gender may be a component of some stereotypes, and that some physiognomic characteristics may be considered prototypical of particular stereotypes. These results illustrate the importance of passive nonverbal elements of the communication situation in the activation of stereotypes of elderly individuals in interaction.
Secondhand Smoke Hurts Everyone
Authors: Dunn Mary Lee
Published: May 2005

Below is testimony in support of a city-wide worksite smoking ban presented by NYCOSH (The New York Committee on Occupational Safety and Health) to the New York City Council on November 12, 2002.
An Assessment of Two Computerized Vocabulary Games Reveals That Players Improve as a Result of Review
Authors: Benne Marcie R. , Baxter Kathy K.
Published: May 2005

Two commercially available, computerized vocabulary games were assessed for their teaching benefits to users. The games were independently tested against three criteria, not against each other. The Matching Game used a rehearsal teaching strategy and required participants to match words to their meanings. The Analogy Game used a semantic strategy and required participants to determine the relationship between the meanings of three words. Game scores were used as the dependent measure because they reflected the accuracy of the participants' responses and their knowledge of the word meanings. The assessment revealed three points of interest about the games. First, participants improved game scores when they reviewed the meanings of words presented in the games. Second, participants did not improve their ability to determine the meaning of new words that were presented in either game. Third, participants with low verbal skills prior to playing the Matching Game demonstrated greater improvement in game scores than the participants with initial high verbal skills.
Worry among Canadian Seniors
Authors: Skarborn Marianne , Nicki Richard
Published: May 2005

One hundred mobile and homebound elderly (65+) participants from Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada were administered Wisocki's Worry Scale, a thirty-five-item questionnaire relating to concerns about finances, health, and social conditions, and requested to self-monitor their worry behavior over a three-day period. Seniors were found to be relatively worry-free. Nevertheless, significant correlations were found between the Worry Scale and measures of mental and physical health. Self-monitoring by seniors provided a more direct validation of the Worry Scale. Results were comparable to those found in the literature with samples from the United States.
Adjustment to Retirement: Continuity vs. Discontinuity
Authors: Richardson Virginia , Kilty Keith M.
Published: May 2005

This research examines gender differences in adjustment to retirement during the first year of retirement. It identifies differences in patterns of adjustment and differences in the discriminating variables that predict these patterns. The study was longitudinal in design and included a pretest interview of 250 people at the time of retirement, a posttest interview of 242 retirees six months after retirement, and a one-year follow-up of 222 completed by mail. A significant main effect for time was found for all three adjustment variables, with well-being declining at the six-month interval. A discriminant analysis of three types of adjustment groups revealed that responses to retirement varies depending on several factors. The findings suggest the need for a dynamic view of continuity theory.
Computer Course Enrollment, Home Computer Access, and Gender: Relationships to High School Students' Success with Computer Spreadsheet Use for Problem Solving in Pre-Algebra
Authors: Dugdale Sharon , Dekoven Elyon , Ju Mi-Kyung
Published: May 2005

The increasing use of computer technology in schools has brought with it concerns about equity of access to this new resource. Research has documented gender, social class, and racial inequalities in access to computers, and has linked computer access and experience to success in computer-related courses. This study examined the effects of home computer access and computer course enrollment on mathematically weak high school students' success in applying computers as a learning resource in a pre-algebra course. The course featured regular use of teacher-designed spreadsheet activities that engaged students in mathematical investigation and problem solving. Enrollment in a computer course was a significant predictor of success during students' early experiences in applying computers for mathematical problem solving. Home computer access was related to initial success for females, and the advantage of enrollment in a computer course was greater for females who had access to home computers than for those who did not. These initial advantages diminished with continued use of computers in the curricular context.
College Student Retention: Focus on Success
Authors: Padilla Raymond V.
Published: May 2005

In this article the argument is made that student success should be the foundation for college student retention efforts. Utilizing a “black box” approach, together with a theoretical framework derived from expert systems thinking and the application of qualitative research methods, it is shown that the knowledge base and behavioral repertoire of successful students can be identified systematically and used to help students succeed in college. The information is locally derived and locally relevant, thus insuring that successful students can be identified for a given campus. To illustrate the approach, results are presented from a study involving Chicano students in the Southwest.
From Death Notification Through the Funeral: Bereaved Parents' Experiences and Their Advice to Professionals
Authors: Janzen Linda , Cadell Susan , Westhues Anne
Published: May 2005

Parents who experience the sudden death of a child will interact with many professionals in the period immediately following the death notification through to the funeral. The way these professionals respond to the parents during this critical period may be perceived as helpful, and thus support them in beginning the process of managing the trauma and starting a healthy grieving process. It may also be perceived as unhelpful, though, and contribute to more prolonged and complicated grieving. This article identifies the interventions that a sample of 20 parents who had experienced the sudden death of a child found helpful with different aspects of grieving. Specific advice is given to police, nurses, doctors, coroners, social workers, crisis counselors, funeral directors, and chaplains or clergy.
Notes on the Negative Implications of Being Competent in a Home for the Aged
Authors: Posner Judith
Published: May 2005

This paper focuses on the fact that the common sense assumption underlying everyday life in a Home for the Aged is the antithesis of the common sense assumption operating in most normal social life, on the outside. The implications of this fact are infinite and ironic. In essence, the Home is oriented toward the least competent. Although typically one tends to think of the advantages of being competent, a significant structural feature of Home life is the way in which being a competent member can work against inmates, as such behavior is, in a very real sense inappropriate, atypical and unprepared for. The following material is based on two years participant observation research in a Home for the Aged in Ontario, Canada.
Daydreaming across the Life Span: Late Adolescent to Senior Citizen
Authors: Giambra Leonard M.
Published: May 2005

Using an instrument developed by J. Singer and J. Antrobus, aspects of daydreaming and related mental activity were examined in males of 7 age groups from 17 through 91. Daydreaming frequency declined linearly with age. A linear decline was also observed in absorption in daydreaming, daydreams with future temporal settings, affective reactions in daydreams, imagery and vividness in daydreams, and content involving sex, bizarre-improbable events, achievement, hostility, heroism, fear of failure, and guilt. No decline was observed for acceptance of daydreams, impersonal and interpersonal curiosity, mentation rate, past and present temporal setting in daydreams, and daydreams involving problem solving. Problem solving daydreams were predominant at every age except the youngest where sexual daydreams were predominant. A factor analysis revealed seven factors, four of which involved age. It was concluded that daydreaming reflected current concerns and did not reflect suppressed desires.
Age Differences in Information-Seeking among Cancer Patients
Authors: Turk-Charles Susan , Meyerowitz Beth E. , Gatz Margaret
Published: May 2005

Studies examining patient populations have found that information-seeking decreases with age. However, researchers usually define information-seeking as involving only the medical establishment, while they neglect other sources of information. The present study examined the use of two types of information sources, non-medical establishment (newspaper, television, and friends) and medical establishment (doctors and nurses), among seventy-five cancer patients aged eighteen to eighty-one years. Patients responded to questionnaires asking about information-seeking, desire for more cancer information, self-perception of their knowledge about cancer, and actual knowledge of facts about cancer. For the medical establishment source, information-seeking decreased with age; however, no age differences existed for seeking non-medical establishment information. In individuals with high levels of desire for information, older adults reported more information-seeking from non-medical sources than did younger adults.
A Meta-Analysis of the California School-Based Risk Reduction Program
Authors: Bruvold William H.
Published: May 2005

Prominent nonquantitative reviews of research evaluating school-based interventions designed to deter adolescents from the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs found the methodology to be flawed and thus little evidence existed that the interventions had the desired impact [1, 2]. Recent meta-analytic reviews indicate that information-focused interventions have more impact upon knowledge but less upon attitudes and behavior whereas alternative interventions have less impact upon knowledge but more upon attitudes and behavior [3–5]. This result is replicated by the current meta-analysis performed upon eight risk-reduction programs meeting six standard methodological requirements for evaluation research.
Adolescent Drug Abuses—A Problem of Interpersonal Relations and School Organization
Authors: Dearden Marlin H.
Published: May 2005

This paper stresses the importance of listening to students and to each other, and the willingness to explore together those areas of personal concern as they exist in individuals and organizational and administrative operation for an effective drug education program. The idea of total school commitment is emphasized and the importance of every classroom becoming a drug prevention scene is clearly defined.

The importance of the individual students' need for identity is stressed. The entire school operation concentrates on this concept, the major thrust being that only when the individual becomes aware of himself and his behavior can group awareness be understood.
Phencyclidine Use in High School: Tests of Models
Authors: Huba George J. , Bentler Peter M.
Published: May 2005

Phencyclidine (PCP) use was studied in conjunction with alcohol and marijuana use for a sample of tenth grade students. Rates of use, attitudes toward the drugs, perceived norms among significant others, and intentions to use the drugs in the future were assessed. Attitudes, intentions, subjective norms, and drug-taking behavior were related for each drug. Phencyclidine was used less than alcohol and marijuana, and attitudes were less favorable toward that drug. Students also reported less definite intentions to use PCP, and reported that their significant others disapproved of the drug more. A causal model was tested and found to fit the progression from alcohol to marijuana to PCP behavior, attitudes, intentions, and subjective norms. The causal model implies that the drugs are related in a stepwise manner.
Learner Interaction in a Computer-Based Instructional Lesson
Authors: Milheim William D.
Published: May 2005

While interaction has consistently been described as an important instructional variable, there is little research to support how it is specifically used by various learners within a computer-based lesson. Based on this lack of research, this exploratory study attempts to quantify some of the interactions that take place between learners and a computer-based instructional lesson teaching basic memory skills. Statistically significant results from this study indicate that subjects aged thirty to thirty-nine had a tendency to repeat computer screens in some instructional modules while students with lower undergraduate grade point averages tended to skip some computer screens altogether.
Educational Technology: Media for Inquiry, Communication, Construction, and Expression
Authors: Bruce Bertram C. , Levin James A.
Published: May 2005

We describe a new way of classifying uses of educational technologies, based on a four-part division suggested years ago by John Dewey: inquiry, communication, construction, and expression. This taxonomy is compared to previous taxonomies of educational technologies, and is found to cover a wider range of uses, including many of the cutting-edge uses of educational technologies. We have tested the utility of this taxonomy by using it to classify a set of “advanced applications” of educational technologies supported by the National Science Foundation, and we use the taxonomy to point to new potential uses of technologies to support learning.
Aging and Changes in Attitudes about the Women's Liberation Movement
Authors: Cutler Stephen J.
Published: May 2005

Using data from a four-year national panel study, this research examines changes in attitudinal support for the women's liberation movement over the period 1972–1976. All age groups became more favorable, but the extent of these shifts was greater among the older members of the panel than among the younger members. The findings provide no support for the notions that social and political attitudes become more conservative with aging or that they become rigid and fixed.
The Politics of Deteriorating Health: The Case of Palestine
Authors: Qato Dima
Published: May 2005

This article reviews the deteriorating health situation of the Palestinian population during the post-Oslo period of the Palestinian Authority and during the current Intifada. It seeks to record findings obtained through primary participants and documents and from personal observations in the field that situate Palestinian health conditions within their political framework. The ongoing crisis highlights longstanding problems in the Palestinian health infrastructure, which make it more vulnerable to Israeli policies, especially the movement restrictions and closures. Efforts by Palestinian professionals and the international health community to provide health services have been constantly thwarted. The Israeli authorities' disregard for Palestinian health care has escalated since 2000 and is directly responsible for a vast number of Palestinian deaths. Israel's indiscriminate obstructions to the coordinated functioning of a health care system in Palestine increase morbidity, degrade health, promote premature deaths, and damage the medical infrastructure. Moreover, the Israeli actions transgress international law and, ultimately, make peace in the region much less likely. This analysis provides further evidence of the social justice violations and the wide-ranging effects on health experienced daily by the Palestinian people as a direct result of the Israeli military occupation.
Drugs—America's Current Visible Hysteria
Authors: Anderson Clarence C.
Published: May 2005

There is no drug abuse problem, only a people problem. Young people need an alternative to drugs and this alternative cannot be found unless parents are willing to change both their drinking and drug abuse habits. The answer to the drug problem must be found not in pharmacology but at the grass roots level, on a one-to-one basis and the problem must be treated as an overall mental health problem. Unless “Madison Avenue” and the drug houses can be convinced that pills are not the answers to everyone's problems, drug abuse will continue to grow until it has reached unsolvable proportions.
“Turning on” a National Agency: The Job Corps Drug Workshop Experience
Authors: Nelson Scott H. , Batalden Paul B. , Shaevitz Morton , MacKenzie Richard
Published: May 2005

The authors describe the sometimes painful process of developing a series of drug training workshops for a non-health agency. They then discuss the principles and procedures they followed to achieve a successful result, and make suggestions for others who are planning drug education programs.
Exploring Quasi-Concurrency in Introductory Computer Science
Authors: Shiau Liejune
Published: May 2005

Most programming courses taught today are focused on managing batch-oriented problems. It is primarily because parallel computers are not commonly available, therefore problems with concurrent nature could not be explored. This consequence, at the same time, causes student's under preparation to meet the challenge of modern multi-process computation technologies. This article demonstrates an easy solution for implementing concurrent programming projects in computer labs. This solution does not require special hardware support or special programming languages. The goal is to facilitate a means to deal with the concept and usefulness of multi-process software systems in the early stage of computer science curriculum. We also include detailed descriptions on a few creative and interesting concurrent examples to illustrate this idea.
Evaluation of a Comprehensive Elementary School Curriculum-Based Drug Education Program
Authors: Ambtman Rudy , Madak Paul , Koss Denise , Strople Mark J.
Published: May 2005

This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a province-wide chemical abuse prevention education program for grades two through six. Two separate studies were conducted. Study 1 measured pre- and post-scores on a test with 1101 experimental and 991 control subjects in a quasi-experimental design. Study 2 surveyed 500 elementary school teachers on their opinions and practices regarding drug education, and on the prevalence of the program in schools. The study found that: 1) students had a high initial knowledge level; 2) students showed modest but statistically significant knowledge gains for urban schools and grades three, four, and five of rural schools; 3) the program was most effective with students with a low base knowledge; 4) an estimated 20 to 30 percent of Manitoba elementary teachers had been in-serviced and/or were using the program across the province; and 5) the program was received well among teachers.
Structured Group Interaction: An Intervention Strategy for the Continued Development of Elderly Populations
Authors: Lago Daniel , Hoffman Stephanie
Published: May 2005

Structured group interaction, through an emphasis on pre-group structuring, didactic presentations, experiential learning, and evaluation, provides a flexible approach to achieving a variety of goals while compensating for many of the problem characteristics of an aged institutionalized population. Structured groups are characterized by adherence to a rigorous intervention planning methodology, with a high degree of pre-planned group structure, explicit behaviorally stated performance goals, and a concern for transferring group behavior to everyday settings. After a consideration of literature support and some of the limitations and hazards involved in the approach, it is concluded that structured groups represent a useful tool for the applied gerontologist.
Shared Stories of the Grandparent-Grandchild Relationship
Authors: Nussbaum Jon F. , Bettini Lorraine M.
Published: May 2005

This research examined the storytelling that oftentimes characterizes interaction between grandparent and grandchild. Close to 120 individuals (college students) audiotaped an interaction with one of their grandparents. They were asked to have their grandparent first “tell a story that captures the meaning of life” for them. In addition, the grandparent was asked to complete the phrase, “To me, life is like_____.” the students were asked to tell their grandparent “a story that captured the essence of their life at this time in their life.” Students were divided into similar numbers of same and mixed sex grandparent-grandchild relationships. The audiotaped interactions were content analyzed. A major assumption of this investigation is that the story which each individual chooses to share with their relational partner reveals to some extent the definitional nature of their relationship. Results of the storysharing interaction across relations revealed some gender differences in the types of stories grandparents share with their grandchildren. The implications of the shared stories upon the relational dynamics of the grandparent-grandchild relationship are discussed. In addition, the metaphors used by the grandparents to describe life in the presence of their grandchildren are analyzed.
Are Elderly Felons Treated More Leniently by the Criminal Justice System?
Authors: Wilbanks William
Published: May 2005

California Offender Based Transaction System (O.B.T.S.) data are utilized to examine the processing of all elderly felons ( N = 1,562) compared to felons twenty to fifty-nine ( N = 160,413) to determine if elderly felons “get off easier.” Elderly criminals were treated more harshly at the front end of the criminal justice system (through conviction) and more leniently at sentencing. The apparent leniency at sentencing was not found for all offenses examined and thus the overall pattern of leniency was due to the mix of offenses for which the elderly were convicted. Though age was a better predictor of arrest rates than sex or race, the latter two variables were better predictors of processing by the criminal justice system.
Adrienne Rich, Ruth Whitman, and Their Jewish Elders
Authors: Smith Carolyn H.
Published: May 2005

Adrienne Rich's portraits of her paternal, Jewish elders confirm the view that elders who suppress their ties to Judaism suffer psychologically as they age; however, Rich's depiction of her Jewish mother-in-law shows that elders who maintain their ties can also suffer depression in later stages. In contrast, Ruth Whitman shows that her Jewish grandmothers maintained ties and were content in old age; at the same time, her paternal Jewish grandfather aged peacefully even though he rebelled against Judaism. The portraits drawn by these poets come from a breadth of thinking that tolerates ambiguities, goes beyond generalities to individual differences, and permits sympathy in the midst of criticism.
The Grandparent Role: A Double Bind
Authors: Thomas Jeanne L.
Published: May 2005

In response to open-ended questions, married and single mothers described advantages and disadvantages of having grandparents in the family. Single mothers emphasized the value of grandparents' practical and moral support in childrearing; married mothers more often stressed grandparents' value in providing family heritage and stability. Married and single mothers agreed that grandparents' interference in childrearing could pose threats to family harmony. It is proposed that grandparents may face a double bind in attempting to meet parents' expectations: parents may expect grandparents to simultaneously be supportive without interfering. This double bind may be particularly poignant for grandparents in single mother families.
Loneliness and Adjustment to Old Age
Authors: Hansson Robert O. , Jones Warren H. , Carpenter Bruce N. , Remondet Jacqueline H.
Published: May 2005

Among two samples of older adults, loneliness (measured by the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale) was related to poor psychological adjustment, generally, and to dissatisfaction with family and social relationships. It was also related, however, to fears, expectations, and personality characteristics likely to inhibit the restoration of personal support networks after a stressful life event such as widowhood. Finally, loneliness was associated with maladaptive behavior patterns such as failure to: a) plan for old age, b) engage in rehearsal for widowhood, c) engage in social comparison, or d) learn about available community health and social services.
Understanding the Influence of Gender Role Identity on the Assumption of Family Caregiving Roles by Men
Authors: Hirsch Carl
Published: May 2005

Previous explanations of limited participation by males as family caregivers assume that socialization to dominant gender stereotypes is a universal barrier among men. Overlooked are 1) variations in the degree of internalization of gender typed attitudes that enable intense participation in a wide variety of personal care tasks and the assumption of the chief caregiver role among some men, and 2) social psychological processes used to resolve cognitive dissonance among men considering caregiver activities and/or role enactment. The present examination of these processes is responsive to calls for enhancing our understanding of the personal meaning that caregiving has for men. The introduction of Risman's view that current experience influences socialized predispositions, allows the delineation of conditions under which husbands, sons, and other male relatives who have internalized stereotypical self images of masculinity can also assume caregiver roles in the family. Drawing on interview data from a purposive sample of thirty-two men who were chief caregivers for elderly relatives, case study material is presented to illustrate several pathways by which male respondents gained access to family caregiving roles.
Urban Structure and Household Victimization of the Elderly
Authors: O'Brien Robert M. , Shichor David , Decker David L.
Published: May 2005

This paper examines the relationships of several urban structural characteristics with the rate of household victimization of the elderly in twenty-six U.S. central cities. We find that inter-city variation in two types of household victimization (household burglary and larcency) is highly related to two factors: 1) population density, and 2) socioeconomic conditions. The implications of these findings for further research are discussed.
Instrumental and Expressive Learning: Some Comparisons
Authors: Hiemstra Roger
Published: May 2005

Preferences for and learning activity in instrumental (basic or skill mastery) and expressive (enjoyment or self-fulfillment) education are examined. Interviews with 256 Nebraskans, fifty-five or older, provided information to examine hypotheses of 1) greater preference for instrumental learning (supported), 2) no preference differences according to age, sex, and location groupings (partially supported), 3) predicted preference for expressive learning by white collar workers and college graduates (not supported), and 4) no preference differences according to race, marital status, and social class groupings (partially supported). Comparisons with earlier (1972) data are included; an increased overall preference for instrumental education was found.
Corporate Citizenship: Statoil
Authors: Fjell Olav
Published: May 2005

Open markets alone do not guarantee equitable and sustainable development. Income disparities are growing both within and between countries to the extent that the marginalization of the poor has become a key challenge of globalization. To meet this challenge, the global community must address the governance gap between global finance/economics and local or national politics in world affairs. This article discusses how globalization is shaping Statoil's approach to corporate citizenship. The Norwegian firm, with 17,000 workers in some 25 countries, is one of the major net sellers of crude oil and supplies Europe with natural gas. Statoil maintains that corporations can contribute to global governance by conducting business in a manner that is ethical, economically viable, environmentally sound, and socially responsible. This contribution can be achieved through development partnerships with national governments, multilateral institutions, and nongovernmental organizations.
The Use of Reflexive Photography in the Study of the Freshman Year Experience
Authors: Harrington Charles F. , Lindy Ingrid E.
Published: May 2005

This article describes a study of first-year freshmen students' impressions of their experiences at a public, four-year comprehensive university using the qualitative research method reflexive photography. A random sample of undergraduates were asked to take a series of photographs, representative of their impressions of the university, and discuss the various underlying themes of their photographs in subsequent focus-group interviews. Anumber of primary themes emerged, including perceptions about the university's physical environment, interactions with faculty, interactions with other students, student support services, and career counseling and preparation for the future. These perceptions, both positive and negative, impact institutional commitment.
Aging in the Israeli Kibbutz: Some Further Investigation
Authors: Wershow Harold J.
Published: May 2005

An investigation into education, health, occupation, social activities, and self-image concepts among the aged in five Israeli kibbutzim reveals a tightly knit organization, based on a communal principal, offering all of its members an active and meaningful life. As a result, the aged are not a forgotten segment in this society, but rather a useful and important part of the whole. Cross-cultural data are also used to support these findings.
Effect of Fact Valence on Drug Attitude
Authors: Halliday Gordon W.
Published: May 2005

The hypothesis that drug attitude effects of drug education would vary as a function of the valences of the facts learned was tested. Forty-eight undergraduates interacted with a computer to request and receive pseudo-facts about a bogus drug. As predicted, students who received all positive facts evaluated the drug more favorably than those who received facts of mixed valence, who, in turn, evaluated the drug more favorably than students who received all negative facts.
Achievement Domain and Life Expectancies in Japanese Civilization
Authors: Simonton Dean Keith
Published: May 2005

Previous studies have found that the expected life span of eminent personalities may vary systematically according to the domain of achievement. The current investigation examines this phenomenon more closely by 1) introducing methodological controls for potential gender and cohort artifacts, 2) adding substantive predictors (e.g., suicide and homicide) that provide clues regarding the substantive basis for the differences, 3) scrutinizing a greater variety of achievement domains in both creativity and leadership, and 4) using a non-Western sample of historical figures (1,632 Japanese born between 450 and 1883 A.D.). Multiple regression analyses revealed domain contrasts in life expectancy (e.g., the shorter life spans of fiction authors and political figures, but the longer life spans of religious leaders and sword makers). In addition, the analyses helped decipher the extent to which these domain differences were due to violent death or to the stress of occupying high positions of power.
Young Adults' Relations with Their Grandparents: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Hoffman Edward
Published: May 2005

Some of the major aspects of the relationship between young adult grandchildren and their grandparents were examined. A sample of 269 undergraduate females, each with at least one living grandparent, responded to a survey instrument that assessed their current frequency of interaction and perceived emotional closeness with respect to each living grandparent. Results suggested that the grandparent's kin position relative to the grandchild was a critical variable, more so than the grandparent's sex, in influencing the intensity of the bond, Adult grandchildren tended to be significantly closer to maternal than paternal grandparents, and were significantly closer emotionally to the maternal grandmother than to each of the other grandparents. Also found was a wide variability among young adult grandchildren in their current involvement and emotional attachment to grandparents.
Health Educators: Role Modeling and Smoking Behavior
Authors: Brennan Andrew J. J. , Galli Nicholas
Published: May 2005

This study examined cigarette smoking among health educators, their views about the effects of this behavior upon their audiences and their beliefs about smoking in light of their professional role. Questionnaires (496) were mailed to the membership of a professional health education association. Respondents were asked about smoking practices, the purpose of smoking educational programs, and their views on health educators as role models. Of the 89.7 percent respondents, 57.1 percent were nonsmokers, 32.4 percent were former smokers, and 10.5 percent smoked regularly. Using chi-square analysis, it was found that smokers and nonsmokers were significantly ( p < .001) less inclined to feel that the role of health education is to “convince people not to smoke.” Also, smokers were significantly ( p < .001) less inclined to indicate that a health educator “should set a good example.”
Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Effects of Reminiscence Group Therapy on Demented Elderly
Authors: Goldwasser A. Norman , Auerbach Stephen M. , Harkins Stephen W.
Published: May 2005

Twenty-seven demented elderly nursing home residents were given either reminiscence group therapy or supportive group therapy or were assigned to a no-treatment control group. The self-reported level of depression in participants given reminiscence therapy was positively affected compared to participants in the supportive therapy and control groups, but no significant effects were found for cognitive or behavioral functioning. Results are discussed in terms of the issue of the applicability of reminiscence therapy for cognitively impaired persons, the appropriateness of the measures used in this study to assess depression, cognitive ability and behavioral functioning, and in conjunction with clinical observations made during the process of therapy.
A Critical Examination of the Checklist Approach in Software Selection
Authors: McDougall Anne , Squires David
Published: May 2005

This article surveys existing checklists and investigates the extent to which they enable the expression of useful assessments for software selection purposes. Significant problems and limitations of the checklist approach to software selection are noted, particularly an emphasis on predominantly technical attributes of packages at the expense of consideration of broader classroom environments and activities, learning processes and other educational issues. We make a clear distinction between the processes of software selection and software evaluation, and argue that failure in the past to regard this distinction as important has led to the use of checklists, a valuable tool in evaluation, as well in the selection process to which they are not well suited. An alternative approach to software selection is outlined.
Current Trends in Drug Education Programs on College Campuses: A Preliminary Report
Authors: Lamb Douglas H.
Published: May 2005

In an effort to obtain national information on current college level drug programs, forty-six counseling centers on large (10,000+) campuses were surveyed. Results indicated that 85 per cent of the centers did not have established programs which responded to specific drug concerns. Other available resources included academic and community-based programs. There was a suggestion of the following trends: 1) to minimize the distinction between “drug concerns” and other counseling concerns, 2) to secure academic credit for drug related university programs, 3) to re-endorse community-based operations administered by student peers, and 4) to focus on alcohol education programs on college campuses.
Habituation Theory and Environment-Aging Research: Ennui to Joie De Vivre?
Authors: Norris-Baker Carolyn , Scheidt Rick J.
Published: May 2005

Robert Kastenbaum posits that functional aging results in the overadaptation to our own routines and expectations, producing “hyperhabituation,” mental stagnation, and novaphobic response orientations. This article examines the promise and implications of this notion for two areas of environment-aging research: psychological control and environmental comprehension. Possible causal and mediating links between control and habituation are considered, as well as the impact of habituation on environmental perception, cognition, and appraisal. Personal and situational characteristics of older people likely to be at risk for habituated responses are suggested. The article also speculates about individually- and environmentally-targeted interventions which might prevent and/or ameliorate tendencies toward hyperhabituated responses among older people who reside in highly ritualized and constant environments such as long-term care institutions. Interventions subject to future evaluations include modifications for the social, physical, and policy milieux and desensitization of novaphobic responses.
Job Dissatisfaction among Military Substance Abusers
Authors: Whorley Larry W.
Published: May 2005

Job dissatisfaction and aggressiveness among military substance abusers were found to vary directly. The implications for educational and rehabilitation programs are discussed; directions for further research are suggested.
The Marihuana Perception Inventory: Stage 3 — The Parent Sample
Authors: Cotler Miriam Piven , Gabany Steve , Eiseman Seymour
Published: May 2005

This article reports the third step in the development of a perceptual inventory of factors associated with marihuana use. Identification of those factors, along with an analysis of demographic characteristics is designed to facilitate the formulation of drug education programs. This third phase was an administration of the inventory to sixty parents who were also members of a community anti-drug group. Their beliefs are strong, as evidenced by their active association with the group. Factors analysis revealed a five-factor solution that utilized all thirty-four items of the inventory, Scales were again labeled Parental Limitations, Societal Issues, Inherent Predispositions, Rebelliousness, and Maturational Difficulties. Since there was a shift between parents and youths in specific items that made up the scales, it appears that drug educators will need to take parents' perceptions into account when designing programs.
Using the Concept of Risk to Plan Drug Use Intervention Programs
Authors: Bell Ralph
Published: May 2005

The concept of risk is integral to the field of epidemiology. Risk can be defined as the probability of an event (including drug use) occurring in a population of interest. If drug prevention and intervention programs are to be successful, they must be targeted at high-risk population groups. This article proposes a two-step, multilevel, multivariate analysis strategy to estimate high-risk population groups in high-risk geographic areas. Its successful use could result in better data for decision makers to make informed judgments about developing intervention programs.
When is the Critical Moment to Provide Smoking Education at Schools?
Authors: Chen Ted T. L. , Winder Alvin E.
Published: May 2005

When is the critical moment to provide smoking education for public school students? This study is designed to address this problem. Five hundred and twelve students, sixth, ninth, and twelfth graders in the Northampton, Massachusetts school system were studied. Their responses to a sixty-two item questionnaire revealed that sixth grade is the optimal time to provide education for smoking prevention. Sixth graders are characterized by a relative absence of peer pressure, a relative lack of knowledge of the effects of smoking, unfamiliarity with their parents' attitudes toward smoking and evidence that many students in this grade intend to smoke within the next five years.
Preventing the Causes of Drug Abuse
Authors: Goodman J. Knight
Published: May 2005

This article develops a conceptual model of the causes of drug abuse and proposes an educational effort aimed at preventing those causes. It is the writer's contention that the goal of education should be to prevent dependency rather than focusing on deterring drug experimentation. This means that drug abuse prevention ought to deal with questions relevant to coping with behavior and mental health rather than with drug pharmacology or even a mere explanation of the causes of drug abuse. An example of this approach is presented as it was practiced on one Army post.

The article is based partly on the writer's experiences as the director of a drug rehabilitation and education facility dealing mainly with heroin addiction.
Public Attitudes to and Awareness of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in Young Adults
Authors: Oei Tian P. S. , Anderson Liane , Wilks Jeffrey
Published: May 2005

Public attitude toward, and awareness of possible problems and risks associated with the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy were assessed in ninety-five males and ninety-seven females in the fourteen to thirty years age group. A survey questionnaire containing structured and open-ended measures was distributed among visitors to the University of Queensland. Whilst there was a high awareness of the problem, knowledge of the specific effects to the offspring, and of quantities and frequency of consumption of alcohol which would have teratogenic effects were erroneous. Both sexes overwhelmingly chose a medical practitioner to present information if a media campaign were introduced. Females preferred dispensation of information through popular magazines while males preferred the electronic media. The findings thus suggest that there is a need to educate young adults on the specific harmful effects of alcohol on a developing child and that medical practitioners can make significant contribution in this important area of education to prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Wives, Husbands, and Daughters Caring for Institutionalized and Noninstitutionalized Dementia Patients: Toward a Model of Caregiver Burden
Authors: Harper Sarah , Lund Dale A.
Published: May 2005

The primary purposes of this article are to clarify some of the inconsistencies in the previous research studies done on factors associated with caregiver burden; to identify specific sets of variables that best explain the differential burden levels among caregivers; and to provide a substantial foundation for developing a model of caregiver burden useful for both research and clinical interventions. The caregiver's gender, relationship to the patient, and the residential location of the patient (same house, community, or institution) are major considerations in our analyses. This study is also unique, because it uses a relatively large national sample of caregivers, which is necessary to accomplish the study's objectives. Mailed questionnaires were completed by 409 caregivers identified by fifty local support groups in sixteen different states in the United States. Generally, the primary correlates of burden were factors related to the levels and types of impairment in patient functioning, caregiver life satisfaction, and social support. Each category of caregiver circumstances had a unique set of three to five correlates with the total amount of variance explained in burden ranging from 25 percent (husbands living with the patients) to 68 percent (husbands with spouses in nursing homes). Implications for future research and interventions are discussed.
Assessment of Training Needs: One Approach
Authors: Buttram Joan L.
Published: May 2005

Many drug agencies are now recognizing that in order to be effective in dealing with the changing drug problems, their staffs require additional training in many areas. Although there are numerous groups available to drug agencies for training assistance, these training agencies do not always provide appropriate training programs. Therefore it is important for both groups to conduct training needs assessments so that these needs are effectively met. This paper presents one method by which to assess training needs; this approach relies heavily on the needs identified by actual drug abuse agencies staff.
Classroom Dynamics: The Impact of a Technology-Based Curriculum Innovation on Teaching and Learning
Authors: Mandinach Ellen B. , Cline Hugh F.
Published: May 2005

The Systems Thinking and Curriculum Innovation Network Project is a multiyear curriculum development, implementation, and research effort that examines the impact of using systems thinking and modeling on teaching and learning activities. Data reported here indicate positive effects on students' cognitive and motivational processes. The systems thinking approach also fundamentally changes the dynamics of the classroom and the role of the teacher by creating a constructivist, learner-centered environment. Implications for the design and installation of such environments are discussed.