Examines stability of individual differences in behaviorally induced heart-rate reactivity in 34 boys presented a cognitive task. Task-related heart-rate reactivity revealed substantial and highly reproducible individual differences in heart-rate reactivity independent of subjects' task performance. (Author/DB)

A simulated peer-counseling situation was used to assess decision making among 108 adolescents in grades 7 through 12. As grade level increased, adolescents significantly more often mentioned potential risks and future consequences of decisions; recognized and treated vested interests with caution; and suggested an independent professional opinion…

Assesses ability of infant tests to predict language and cognitive development and to detect infants at risk for developmental problems. The Bayley Mental Development Index was particularly capable of detecting infants at risk for developmental delay. The Caldwell Inventory of Home Stimulation identified home environment as a key factor in…

Uses the habituation paradigm to investigate 3-month-old infants' abilities to recognize and discriminate among the faces of strangers. Infants consistently discriminated between photographs of faces following extensive exposure to one, and recognized something about the face they saw during habituation. Results suggest that similarity influences…

Describes longitudinal changes in premature infants' behaviors after various forms of stimulation were given during a standardized neurological examination. Regardless of conceptional age, arousal level increased as the examination progressed. Conceptional age influenced rapidity of change from lower to higher states of arousal and determined the…

Describes the development of a parent-report to assess infant temperament and presents longitudinal findings. Scales were developed to measure activity level, soothability, fear, distress to limitations, smiling/laughter, and duration of orienting. Longitudinal analyses showed that stability in some scales was age-related. (Author/DB)

Mothers were interviewed periodically over the first six years of their same-sex twins' lives and were asked to contrast them on specific behaviors. Intrapair contrasts were moderately stable across age spans for as long as 18 through 36 months. Genotypic similarity was apparently associated with intrapair similarity in emotionality and…

Examines the relationship of birth order to sociability with an unfamiliar peer in a group of 101 children, 33 months of age. Differences were found favoring sociability in children with one or no siblings. Assertiveness followed the same pattern. Family influences which may account for these birth order differences are discussed. (Author/DB)

Evaluated differences among neglectful, behavior-problem, and normal mothers in their reports of child behavior problems and observed verbal behavior with children in situations requiring differing degrees of maternal control. Relative to normal mothers, behavior-problem mothers were most negative and were as controlling as neglectful mothers…

Observations indicated that, in contrast to children attending preschool half-days, preschool children attending full-days spent significantly more time on tasks directed and guided by teachers, interacted more positively with peers, and engaged in more physical activity. Teachers rated full-time students, especially boys, as more aggressive and…

Examines the relationship between cognitive functioning (as measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development) and the symbolic play levels of Down's syndrome children. Symbolic play level was more highly correlated with mental age than with chronological age. Performance on the Infant Behavior Record was also highly correlated with symbolic…

Infants were observed at 10, 12, and 14 1/2 months to test whether social interaction among infant peers develops as a by-product of object-centered play. Age differences were noted. Object-centered contact did not influence early social interaction; long interactions emerged at later ages regardless of whether or not toys were present. (Author/DB)

Dyadic free play of 32 preschool children (16 deaf and 16 hearing) was videotaped on two occasions; each child was observed once with a deaf partner, once with a hearing partner. Results are discussed in terms of the social interactions of hearing and deaf children, with particular attention to the characteristics of initiation attempts.…

This study of 44 kindergarten pupils, 40 second graders, and 32 fourth graders assesses (1) prosocial intentions toward a friend in situations in everyday life, (2) prosocial behavior toward a friend in tasks in which sharing leads to decreases in children's own and relative gains, and (3) sex differences in the effects of friendship on prosocial…

Investigates the amount of time that children in same-age v mixed-age groups spend in various forms of social participation, and analyzes the age relationships of children in mixed-age groups. Subjects were three classes of three-year-olds, three classes of four-year-olds, and three mixed-age classes. (Author/CM)