In two studies, children learned simple but adaptive decision strategies from decision feedback. In a probabilistic multi-cue decision task, we investigated children's decision strategies under different feedback conditions. In Study 1 (N = 313), 7- and 9-year-old German children learned the selective decision strategy Take-the-Best. Children…

Empirical studies on individual behaviour often, implicitly or explicitly, assume a single type of decision rule. Other studies do not specify behavioural assumptions at all. We advance sociological research by introducing (random) regret minimization, which is related to loss aversion, into the sociological literature and by testing it against…

This article presents an analysis of an increasingly political nature of the rationales behind the memberships of the UK and Germany in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). This analysis is guided by rational-choice neo-institutionalism and is based on expert interviews with key stakeholders in both countries as well as their relevant…

This study examines the influence of social contexts on the decision to either complete or leave the first vocational education and training (VET) position among young German apprentices--an aspect that has received little attention in dropout research. In particular, the role of three reference groups--parents, friends and classmates at…

Student dropout can be conceptualized as a decision-making process, consisting of different phases. Based on previous literature on student dropout, decision-making, and action-phases, we proposed that the process of developing dropout intentions includes the following phases: "non-fit perception," "thoughts of…

In 2022, one in four vocational education and training (VET) contracts resulted in premature termination--a potential sign of inefficiency in the training of urgently needed skilled professionals. This study focuses on the level of perceived informedness of trainees and its potential influence on dropout. This includes trainees' perceived level of…

Facilitators of professional development (PD) for mathematics teachers currently gain increasing attention, as their practices are crucial for the success of spreading mathematics educational ideas and innovations into schools and strengthening the professional expertise of teachers. So far, mainly two components of facilitation have been…

This study investigates occupational changes in the German vocational education and training system among "stopouts," i.e., individuals who terminate their training prematurely and switch to another occupation. We examine whether occupational changes are related to the fulfillment of career aspirations and changes in key occupational…

Previous research in different national contexts has shown that individual preferences for certain job attributes, objective labour market conditions, subjective career prospects, and external encouragement shape doctoral graduates' career decisions. For Germany, where the number of awarded doctoral degrees is highest within the European Union and…

The storming of the US Capitol on January 6th, 2021 shocked the world and challenged democratic norms. Considerations on how to teach the events of January 6th remains an open question, not just for the United States but for other democratic nations, including Germany. This comparative case study explored the similarities and differences in how US…

This study aims to explore the factors that influence Asian student mobility using a life planning model, which focuses on students' lifelong planning and restricting factors in decision-making. As a result of macro data analysis of student mobility from six Asian source countries to eight major destinations from 1999 to 2017, the income gap…

Reluctance of respondents to participate in surveys has long drawn the attention of survey researchers. Yet, little is known about what drives a respondent's decision to answer the survey invitation early or late during the field period. Moreover, we still lack evidence on response timing in longitudinal surveys. That is, the questions on whether…

This article aims to undertake a comparative investigation of school administration to understand further the frames of curriculum making. School administration is an under-illuminated aspect of curriculum research. The paper commences from the notion that, in mass education, a school system is operationalized by many schools, which are coupled to…

This article presents a comparative interview study (N = 45) with Swedish and German special educators working in inclusive school settings in order to gain an understanding of how inclusive education is operationalized by the provision of special education needs (SEN) support; and how both aspects are conditioned by nation-specific…

Adolescence is a time in which peers gain in importance and more time is spent engaging in social interactions with them. Within these interactions, adolescents will also be confronted with moral dilemmas, in which moral decisions need to be taken. The aim of the current study was to examine two factors that may influence moral decisions, namely…