Through content and textual analysis of "Seventeen" magazine from 1951 to 1991, the emergence and transformation of environmental discourse are explored to show how the progressive impetus of a popular social movement is redefined in an adolescent magazine to create mythologies of consumption. (SLD)

Although courts and legislators usually set legal standards that correspond to empirical knowledge of human behavior, recent developments in behavioral psychology have led courts to appreciate the limits and errors in consumer decision making. "Reasonable consumer" standards that are congruent with cognitive reality should be developed.…

An inventory collected responses from 63 adult beginning readers and 41 proficient readers regarding beliefs, feelings, and behaviors about consumer, social context, work-related, at-home, and recreational reading. Many views of the two groups were similar, although beginners disliked reading complex materials and reading aloud, do not read at…

Virginia Cooperative Extension's Public Information System includes three programs readable on laser discs: Consumer Products, Money Matters, and There Is a Law. The touch-screen interface and flexible design provide users with access to hours of information and hundreds of printed fact sheets. (Author)

A decrease in community involvement in a substance-abuse prevention program for teens was attributed to lack of diversity in program planners (mostly health professionals) and awareness but lack of action among community members. The project worked to generate parent participation and ownership of the program. (SK)

Interviews of adult literacy learners were compared with depictions of learners as consumers in textbooks. Texts focused on learners' deficits and lack of knowledge, whereas learners viewed themselves as competent, capable consumers despite limited academic skills and income. (Contains 40 references.) (SK)

Presents findings from an exploratory, empirical investigation of perceptions of Internet catalog shopping compared to more traditional print catalog shopping. Two factors that might influence perceptions, personality, and important other people are examined, and directions for further research are suggested. (Author/LRW)

Evaluation of MONEY 2000(TM), a savings education program with behavioral monitoring, by 520 participants indicated their motivations were to reduce debt and increase financial knowledge. Most helpful were the newsletter, tips/ideas/information, extension publications, and workshops/classes/conferences. Three of four respondents both increased…

In-depth interviews with four university-based educators revealed that they had limited childhood experiences of diverse cultures. Their professional experiences of diversity led them to the following principles: maintain respect, appreciate other perspectives, commit to working together, and persist even in an unsupportive environment. (Contains…

Survey results from 98 family and consumer sciences administrators showed they were predominantly female (89%), white (87%), and employed in public institutions (80%). Both genders reported experience of bias. They felt rewarded by the social significance of their work. One-fourth aspired to higher levels. (SK)

Food safety is a significant issue in the United States and yet minimal research has been done on the inclusion of food safety in secondary school curricula. This study examined the feasibility of including food safety in Iowa FCS middle and secondary classes. Teachers reported food safety was important; only a few believed students were…

The objective of this study was to evaluate preschool teachers' attitudes towards nutrition labels. A sample of 154 preschool teachers was surveyed to determine their label-reading behaviours and knowledge. A total of 71.5% of the preschool teachers reported that they read food labels when purchasing food items (i.e. rather often or sometimes).…

The market as educator has become firmly lodged at the centre of popular and scholarly debate commenting on the nexus between children, consumption and education/learning. In this paper, I appreciate this scholarly debate from the point of view of the sociology of consumption. The latter has been relatively silent on children's consumption and…

Media literacy education helps individuals become discriminating consumers of health information. Informed consumers are less likely to purchase useless health products if informed of misleading and deceptive advertising methods. The purpose of this study was to conduct a content analysis of health-related TV infomercials. An instrument…

Purpose--The purpose of this paper is to explore the efficacy of a community-based outreach initiative, piloted in Worcester, Massachusetts, to reduce children's exposure to toxic chemicals in common household products by changing parental behavior regarding product purchase and use. Design/methodology/approach--The program model was based on the…