Examined the effects of an audiovisual distractor on the visual attention paid to TV by preschool children characterized as distractible. The effectiveness of an audiovisual distractor eliciting a head turn from the TV was diminished when TV viewing had been maintained for at least 15 seconds. (PCB)

Assessed the effect of the amount of physical detail in pictures on the picture recognition memory of 7- and 9-year-olds, young adults, and adults over 68. For each age group, recognition accuracy was significantly higher for pictures presented in the simple rather than the complex form. (PCB)

Study examined peer sensitivity to (1) differences in the social behaviors of hyperactive and normal comparison peers, and (2) medication-related behavioral differences. Discussion focused on children's detection of treatment-related differences in social behaviors of peers, as well as on the imperfect relation between social behavior and social…

Three self-report methods for rating secondary sexual characteristic growth were compared to physician ratings; the accuracy of self-reported height and weight was also assessed. The usefulness of the Pubertal Development Scale, Tanner ratings, and self-reported height and weight as adequate estimates of pubertal development is discussed. (PCB)

Examines several issues arising from two differing approaches to morality--Kohlberg's theory of moral reasoning development and Gilligan's theory of moral orientations. (PCB)

Results from this study confirmed the hypotheses that child rearing styles characterized by acceptance, a nonauthoritarian approach to punishment, and identification of the child with the parent related to high levels of adult ego development 22 years later. (PCB)

Recent research on the development of children's abilities to comprehend and produce metaphorical language is reviewed. It is argued that the ability to produce and comprehend metaphorical language emerges out of children's undifferentiated similarity notions and gradually develops into a capacity to encompass an increased variety of conceptual…

A test for sensitivity to binocular disparity and a shape perception test were administered to four-month-olds. Results indicated that disparity-sensitive infants could perceive three-dimensional-object shape from kinetic and binocular depth information. (PCB)

Discrepancy between angl head turn and loudspeaker location was measured on infants in auditory-alone and auditory-visual trials. Age and loudspeaker location had no effect on performance in auditory-visual trials. However, in auditory-alone trials, there were significant age differences. (PCB)

When children with Down's syndrome and normally developing children of comparable mental age were compared in their ability to find things they saw in a mirror, it was found that the ability of children with Down's syndrome paralleled that of normally developing children, but that motivational, attentional, and exploratory differences may exist.…

Studied were the responses of infants to new toys presented with either positive, negative, or neutral affective displays by mothers. Responses to stimulus toys were compared with responses to free play toys. Maternal displays influenced responses only to stimulus toys. (PCB)

Results from this study of 110 low-risk, middle-class infants showed that a significantly greater proportion of infants whose mothers worked full-time outside the home were assigned to the category "insecure-avoidant" than infants whose mothers remained in the home throughout their children's first year of life. (PCB)

Interviews, HOME inventories, and videotapes of home observations were used to obtain information from adolescent and nonadolescent mothers with four-month-old infants on (1) the mothers' childcare network, (2) stressful life events since the infant's birth, and (3) parenting behaviors. (PCB)

Tested were the impact of rejection and acceptance experienced by adolescent mothers during childhood; social support received after their baby's birth; and infant irritability on angry, punitive maternal behavior. Possible links between maternal behavior and indices of child anger, noncompliance, low confidence, and social withdrawal were also…

Preschoolers' normative patterns, individual styles, and developmental changes in coping with anger between others (background anger) were examined. Pairs of children were observed playing while two adults in an adjacent room verbally expressed anger toward each other. Children were also interviewed concerning the feelings they had during the…