Notes changes in feminist criticism that have occurred and that must occur so that it maintains its legitimacy. Proposes changes that would firmly ground feminist criticism as a vital part of gender studies and literary criticism. (RL)

Gives recommendations for both long-range preparation and last-minute preretirement planning. Methods are being developed that can alert those facing retirement to the emotional difficulties they may face and help them plan ways of coping with problems. Difficulties include sense of belonging, socialization problems, achievement problems and…

Describes the role of empathy in psychosocial functioning and in the effective parenting of children. The need for empathy training to be a core component in treatment strategies with abusive parents is discussed and approaches to empathy training are suggested, including taking perspectives, emotional replication, and response decision.…

This literature review addresses how the mental health professions view and use communication behaviors in their own diagnostic framework, focusing on cooccurrence of communication and psychiatric disorders, and psychiatrists' consideration of communication disorders as only one of a number of neurobehavioral systems. (JDD)

Analyzes various elementary school social studies publications to determine Columbus's treatment as a heroic figure as well as treatment of the native perspective and factual accuracy. The analysis looks at frequency of appearance, the descriptive adjectives used, his presentation pictorially, and critical thinking questions asked about him.…

The variety of terms used to describe the process of self-other differentiation in communication--empathy, role taking, decentering, and perspective taking are but a few--tend to undermine efforts to establish a consistent framework for research in this area. A review of these terms suggests that decentering is the broadest of the concepts,…

Research has shown that most individuals assume that they have realistic perceptions of the significant people in their lives, be they family, friends or adversaries. However, under special circumstances, images of significant others may be shattered as they are seen "for the first time." A phenomenological analysis of 60 descriptions…

A study of teacher-mentor relationships found that periodic brief conversations were more helpful and easier to accomplish than longer ones, and establishing shared learning expectations lessened reluctance to seek or provide information. Another study found that analyzing dilemmas concerning the child's best interest during in-service training…

Analyzes children's own descriptions and interpretations of what family life is like or could be like. The research was designed to determine the children's perspective on childhood and parenthood. The article focuses on four girls and discusses their narratives using concepts from literary theory. The woman in control of family life is the…

Summarizes research concerning the influence of different types of discussions about moral dilemmas between adolescents and either parents or peers on the adolescents' moral development. Discusses implications for camp staff, who may lead campers in discussions based on real-life moral dilemmas in their cabins. (SV)

This paper presents research on a theoretical approach to Logo as a programming language that creates a context for learning in which the process by which children learn and develop, using computers, is of greater interest than the products, or outcomes, of learning. Concerned with the cultural context of Logo learning and principles upon which it…

Although the role that empathy plays in communication transactions is an important one, there is a great deal of confusion surrounding that term as it is used in the field of communication. Empathy may be best defined as a process consisting of 3 stages: (1) decentering, which requires a shift in focus or multiple perspectives; (2) role-taking,…

This longitudinal study of the development of perspectives toward teaching consists of three major phases: (1) an examination of the impact of the student teaching experience on the development of teacher perspectives; (2) an examination of the continuing development of teacher perspectives during the first year of teaching; and (3) further…

A review of communication research was conducted to (1) describe and clarify the nature of empathy, (2) investigate the construct of assertiveness, (3) posit a possible relationship between empathy and assertiveness, and (4) provide possible suggestions for future research. The literature indicates that conceptualizations of empathy primarily…

Examines a general developmental hypothesis concerned with children's understanding of perceptual experience, memory, intentions, and emotions. It is hypothesized that young children view the mind as passive in relation to the external world and regard external events as determining subjective experience, whereas older children know many ways that…