A year after receiving his PhD in psychology from the University of Rochester, Tim Kasser accepted a position at Knox College, in Galesburg, Illinois, where he is currently professor of psychology. He regularly teaches psychology classes on personality, clinical and abnormal psychology, dreaming, and research methods, as well as an…

Article critically reviews the research literature on peer modeling among children as a function of model attributes. Conditions under which perceived similarity causes behavioral change are discussed. (RB)

This study investigated the effect of two independent variables on the sharing behavior of children. The results indicated that both observing a model share and longer ownership of the item facilitated sharing in these children, although the latter was originally hypothesized to retard sharing. (Author)

A strategy for preventing drug abuse by children and adolescents is socializing them into social competencies necessary for psychological health and responsible decision making. This is achieved through direct learning, identification based on admiration for superior competence, and adoption of social roles within meaningful relationships with…

Outlines a dual model of cognitive development in which patterns of cultural stimulation are reconstructed in the child's cognition. It provides a mathematical language for the representation of structures in sensorimotor actions and verbal explanations as they occur in the context of the everyday life of the child. (Author/RH)

A review of 42 controlled treatment studies suggests that several intervention strategies have produced positive effects. These strategies include operant procedures, structuring of activity and play material, symbolic modeling, coaching, and peer socialization. However, studies have generally failed to determine the durability of treatment…

Parents and teachers can help children learn qualities (such as empathy, caring, kindness, and generosity) that contribute to a more peaceful environment. Children can be helped to learn the values and techniques of resolving conflicts without injuring others. We should be concerned about teaching peacemaking in order to prevent crime, drug…

A two-group independent design was employed to study the relationship between parental age and modeling effectiveness. Subjects were 50 mother-father-child triads. The child's baseline data was recorded on a task that involved constructing a specified geometric shape on a pegboard. Then the child was asked to construct another shape modeling his…

Reviews the literature on some of the major ways that parents and teachers influence the development of prosocial tendencies in children; they include child-rearing practices, social cognition, mood, modeling, and training. Also provides suggestions for parents and teachers to help children behave prosocially. (Author/BB)

The psychoanalytic theory of identification and the cognitive-developmental and social-learning theories of imitation are briefly described. Pertinent empirical research in the following areas is summarized and critically evaluated: imitation in infants, observational learning, clinical use of modeling, and the relation of imitation to aggression,…

Discusses parents' responsibility to provide their children with a moral compass that comprises respect for others, kindness and caring, honesty and honor, and reverence for life. Recognizes that children experience difficulty in achieving goodness and that good behavior sometimes encounters painful consequences. Suggests that parents model…

Studied the imitation behavior of thirty 14- to 18-month-olds using peer and adult models in an elicited imitation paradigm. Indicated significant memory for 3-step behavior sequences both immediately after modeling and 1 week later compared with baseline performance. Found that children in the peer model group outperformed children in the adult…

This paper presents a series of propositions concerning processes that are at work in mentoring relationships, with each proposition accompanied by a brief discussion of the theory and research on which it is based. Examples are provided of the role of mentoring in the development of creative individuals. The propositions cover the following…

Research on role-model identification has demonstrated the powerful effect that models have on individuals' behavior. To extend prior research on this phenomenon, the role-model identifications of first-, third-, fifth-, and ninth-grade students were outlined and examined. The results did not support the hypothesis that adolescents identify with…

The "Set a Good Example Contest" has been in operation for 10 years. The contest is based on the idea that educating youth in common sense values and getting students to set good examples for their peers will solve many of the problems faced in today's society. This paper examines the effects of this program. Both teachers and students…