This paper reports on a 1992 study that examined a group of 16 students and non-students, all paid workers at a university's food co-op. The purpose of this study was to understand more about the lives of counterculture students, their beliefs and values, and preferences and politics, specifically as those factors relate to their educational…

Student culture exerts significant influence on many aspects of college life by determining the kinds of people with whom one spends time and the values and attitudes to which one is exposed. To encourage attitudes and values consistent with the institution's educational purpose, cultural elements must be discovered and understood. (Author/MSE)

This study explored psychosocial diversity of two groups of gifted adolescents: those who feel different from their nongifted peers (n=379), and those who do not (n=94). Comparisons between groups on demographic variables, perceptions of self and other students, and school behavior showed the latter group manifesting greater desire for social…

Reports on a study of music listening preferences among undergraduate college music majors, high school musicians in performance groups, and sixth-grade students in eight U.S. sites. Finds instrumental biases among high school and college musicians' preferences for relatively unfamiliar classical music. (CFR)

Reports on 2 studies of the perceptions of 51 nonhandicapped children about severe learning difficulties. Finds that the understanding of severe learning difficulties can be interpreted in terms of three conceptual changes. Discusses these changes in the broader context of the development of social cognition. (CFR)

Reports on a study of social identity and intergroup comparisons among 75 African-American and Chinese-American undergraduates. Finds that both groups judged the ingroup more favorably and considered the outgroup to be more homogeneous. Calls this study a first step and recommends more research. (CFR)

Asserts that during periods of rapid social change, the political consciousness of the population also changes dramatically. Reports on a survey of 1,800 students and 1,270 instructors in Russian higher education institutions. Finds that changes in social consciousness are not proceeding along lines of rational interpretation of facts and ideas.…

This paper examines the research and theories that describe the emotional and intellectual development of women and minorities, and relates them to student development today especially in light of the increasing numbers of students from various minority groups. Major theorists of student development, those who focus on either cognitive or…

Surveys participants in the 1985 Columbia University divestment protest to develop a perspective on recruitment and commitment to social movements, emphasizing the importance of political solidarity. Group processes such as consciousness raising, collective empowerment, polarization, and collective decision making influence movement participants…

Reports on a study of school subcultures and their impact on 16 ex-public school British students, age 18-21. Finds that subcultures are genuine interactive units grounded in shared ideological positions. States that the subcultures fit within a hierarchical pattern and the higher the subculture the greater the level of exclusion. (CFR)

This case study of 215 high school students in Columbia Academy, an international school in Kobe, Japan, was conducted from 1980 to 1985 to examine the values students hold in relation to their demographic characteristics. The study, written by a faculty member of this school who also served on the Educational Policy Committee of the Board of…

A participant observation study was conducted to address socialization, cultural, and values questions related to high school students' interactions with microcomputers. Specific issues addressed included: (1) student social patterns in microcomputer interactions; (2) cultural and sex differences in microcomputer interactions; and (3) student…

Five research principles are proposed to increase the utility of studies of college student culture: attempting to discover how group membership mediates member behavior and contributes to valued outcomes of college; using best practices of qualitative research; using flexible cognitive frameworks when collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data;…

Reports on a study of the factors upon which teachers base student evaluations among 77 Italian students and 5 teachers. Presents a two-level model illustrating seven major topics used by teachers for their evaluations. Includes two tables, two figures, and two appendixes illustrating the model. (CFR)

Maintains that efforts to initiate classroom discussions of controversial topics often provoke uncomfortable silence. Describes a classroom exercise that encourages students to analyze from a sociological perspective classroom dynamics that make discussion difficult. (CFR)