The cultural pluralism theories of Horace Kallen, Louis Adamic, and Michael Novak are related to the recent interest in questions about (1) the relation of ideas of ethnicity to the larger society in which ethnic groups exist, and (2) the theoretical bases of assertions of ethnicity. (KH)

The empirical support for three theoretical approaches to infant intervention is reviewed, including direct intervention via nonsocial means, direct intervention via social means, and indirect infant intervention via social support to the family. For each approach, underlying theoretical assumptions are identified, and for each assumption,…

Reviews empirical studies addressing acculturation across a variety of psychosocial variables. Two methodological weaknesses in the studies were (1) lack of a satisfactory scale to assess acculturation; and (2) excessive reliance on self-reports for information perceived as "personal" to Hispanics. Presents recommendations to improve…

Considers theories of cognition and consciousness in four traditions: neuroscience, cognitive science, activity theory and the distributed cognition approach. The primary focus is on social theories of consciousness--activity theory and distributed cognition, but biological and computational models are also considered as a foil or background…

Discusses the liberal-communitarian debate from the perspective of moral philosophy, examining strengths and weaknesses of liberal and communitarian moral thought, noting implications for education, and arguing that reconciliation requires developing criteria for determining what conditions merit support to maintain and reproduce each culture's…

This article examines the literature on the theory of social presence and its relevancy to cognitive and affective learning in an asynchronous distance-learning environment. With the evolution of distance education, colleges and universities have found themselves on the cutting edge of an unprecedented new era. This review explores the…

This article examines the delinquency literature to determine how factors identified as influencing delinquency actually operate among Hispanics. In light of the fact that Hispanic youth with similar socioeconomic levels to Blacks engage in delinquency at lower rates than Blacks, the article also tries to explain how Hispanic adolescents living in…

This monograph examines the nature of ethnicity as a general feature of human society, as it functions in Australia, and how it is used in the development of policy on multicultural education in Australia. Three influential accounts of ethnicity are examined, and it is argued that, although different, the theories share common problematics and…

Reviews several common pseudo- and middle-range theories that have been offered to explain the violence that occurred in Black ghettos in the 1960s. Argues for the necessity of a systematic examination of the political significance of racial discrimination in relation to urban violence. (KH)

Discusses implications of the contextualism of William McGuire for media-effects research and for the answers media-effects researchers give to questions of social concern. Argues that mass communication research long has contained latent contextualist orientations. (MS)

This article presents a broad ranging philosophical and theoretical argument for improving the education of young children through a greater understanding of developmental child psychology. Notes that play is essential for individual mental development, and must be used in educational settings. Maintains that pure scientific research is simply a…

Critical theory focuses on the oppression of the individual, the group, and society by self-imposed or externally imposed influences. To emancipate people on all three levels of oppression, individuals must engage in a critique of the personal, situational, and historical forces which cause oppression. By the exposure of these forces and their…

Respect for individuality did not penetrate deeply into John Dewey's thought, and, consequently, mass solidarity, based on group cooperation and sharing of interests, is emphasized at the expense of individuality. Examples of Dewey's theories about art and science are used to illustrate the point. (PP)

Proposes that internalization as a result of discipline is based on a child's accurate perception of the parental message and acceptance or rejection of it. Mechanisms promoting acceptance are perceptions of the parent's actions as appropriate, motivation to accept the parental position, and perception that a value has been self-generated.…

Examines social-cognitive career theory to generate recommendations for creating research-training environments that are affirming of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) issues. Offers suggestions to influence aspects of the research-training environment: distal and proximal environmental influences, individual variables, students' research…