A total of 86 children three, four, and five years of age were observed to evaluate the frequency of occurrence and conditions surrounding laughing and smiling. Results were interpreted as supporting interpersonal theories of laughing and smiling and as calling into question theories stressing intrapersonal factors. (Author/RH)

Argues that Baumrind (1982), in her discussion of studies employing Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) and Personal Attitudes Questionnaire, confuses theories proposed by Bem (1974) and by Spence and Helmreich (1978, 1979), which are based on different assumptions and have different implications. Outlines differences between the two and points out…

Investigated the relation between kindergartners', second graders', and fourth graders' attributions of intentionality and inferences of disposition for story characters depicted as having intentionally or accidentally caused harm. (JMB)

Presents a critical appraisal of resilience, a construct connoting the maintenance of positive adaptation by individuals despite significant adversity. Addresses common criticisms, proposes solutions for those considered legitimate, and clarifies misunderstandings surrounding less valid criticisms. Concludes that work on resilience possesses…

Two studies examined sixth graders' personality theories on stereotype formation. Compared to those with malleable views, children with fixed views of personality made more extreme trait ratings of schools characterized positively or negatively, generalized judgments to an unknown student, perceived greater within-school similarity and…

Two studies explored the role of implicit theories of intelligence in adolescents' mathematics achievement. In Study 1 with 373 7th graders, the belief that intelligence is malleable (incremental theory) predicted an upward trajectory in grades over the two years of junior high school, while a belief that intelligence is fixed (entity theory)…

Discusses ways in which researchers have examined the role of social and emotional factors in cognitive functioning and development to uncover additional sources of variation to explain interindividual and intraindividual differences in cognitive development from within a Piagetian framework. Considers the implications of recent Francophone…

Introduces a notation system for representing the formal aspects of Erikson's theory of psychological development in adolescence (including consideration of stages and transitions from one stage to the next) and uses this notation system to raise and make some researchable questions regarding Erikson's conceptions of the crises of identity and…

It is argued that Macnamara's criticisms of Piaget's theory of number do not lead to Macnamara's conclusions about arithmetic instruction. These conclusions appear to be based on misconceptions about logic and logical theories of number. The misconceptions are discussed and an empirical rationale for the conclusions about arithmetic instruction is…

Three investigations and one main experiment examined whether children ages four to seven differentiate between the causal mechanisms appropriate for different conceptual domains. Results suggest that preschoolers prefer natural mechanisms for color inheritance in biological kinds and recognize the importance of human intentions in producing the…

Asked Dutch university and Russian high school students to sort statements in terms of moral sophistication to investigate hierarchical stage structure of moral stages. Found that sorting statements representative of stages below one's own was straightforward; sorting statements above one's stage was difficult, suggesting that reflective…

Children ranging in age from 4 to 6 years and adults were asked to judge each of a series of videotaped actions as being intentional or unintentional. The series included voluntary acts with both intended and unintended effects, involuntary acts and "object-like" movements. (Author/JMB)

Epstein (1974) claims evidence for regular two-year growth spurts in the development of brain and mind, a phenomenon he calls phrenoblysis. Unfortunately, repeated analysis of the data he presents as proof of his theory provides no support. (Author/RH)

Proposes a theory of development in which experience is directed by genotypes and in which genotypic differences affect phenotypic differences, both directly and through experience, via three kinds of genotype-environment effects. The theory adapts the three kinds of genotype-environment correlations in a developmental model used to explain…