Reports an investigation of: (1) the ability of newborns to discriminate different sapid substances and different molar concentrations within those substances; and (2) the role of immediate prior sucking and ingestion experience in altering subsequent oral behavior. Taste discrimination is demonstrated; but taste preferences seem independent of…

Discussed is the assessment of sociometric and observational measures of peer popularity and communicative egocentrism for 60 white, middle-class female preschoolers. Results indicate that communicative egocentrism was significantly related to the observational measure of peer popularity but not significantly related to the sociometric measure.…

A study of the effect of the twin sibling relationship upon interactions between monkey mothers and infants. Findings provided strong support for the prediction that the twin sibling presence decreases the amount of behavior directed from infant to mother. Differences in maternal behavior were concluded to be reactions to differences in infant…

Social class differences in ability to communicate conditional information were investigated using 132 white, fifth-grade children of both lower and middle socioeconomic status. Results indicate communication, but not comprehension, problems exist for lower SES students. Implications of these findings are discussed. (Author/SDH)

Two studies investigated the influence of a child's physical attractiveness and sex as potential elicitors of differential adult punitiveness. Assessed were the reactions of 40 women and 44 men. Results reveal differences in men's and women's reactions and suggest differences in their orientation towards children's task behavior. (Author/SDH)

Age differences in two groups (20-23 years, and 49-65 years) were investigated for the speed of retrieval in both primary and secondary memories. Discussion centered on the role that the older subjects slowed retrieval searches play in their more general learning-memory deficit. (DP)

This longitudinal study investigated the relationship between watching televised contact sports and displaying aggressive behavior. Findings point out sex differences which are discussed in terms of child rearing practices. (DP)

A four choice discrimination problem was used to examine imitative behavior in children matched in mental age but differing in chronological age. The finding that older children imitated less than younger children is discussed in terms of socialization. (DP)

A cross-sectional study of 300 children, ages 4-18 demonstrated that three evaluative dimensions (intent, ability and outcome) are used in forming moral judgments and achievement evaluations. Significant age trends were identified, lending support to a cognitive-developmental view of achievement motivation. (DP)

Compares the frequency of peer and adult interactions, mean duration of social interactions, and amount of misbehavior in children attending Montessori, university laboratory and parent cooperative preschools. (DP)

This study investigated the extent of 45 delinquent boys' deficits in role taking skills, and the effects of an experimental remedial program that employed drama and videotape exercises in role taking training. (DP)

Tested the effectiveness of a 120-problem learning set for teaching simple classification skills to blind children, as compared to a general enrichment program administered to a matched control group. The learning set facilitated mastery of classification, indicating that this training can accelerate the acquisition of Piagetian concepts in…

A study of children's incentive preferences revealed reliable age and sex differences, and significant discrepancies with adults' estimates of what children like. Implications for research with children are discussed. (DP)

According to transfer index testing, chimpanzees who had been reared in restricted laboratory environments for the first two years of life were inferior in cognitive skills to wild born control subjects. Findings are discussed in terms of the role of early experience in cognitive development. (DP)