In present-day societies, the extent to which young people still participate in civic life is an important matter of concern. The claim of a generational "decline" in civic engagement has been contested, and interchanged with the notion of a "replacement" of traditional engagement by new types of participation, and the emergence of the "monitorial…

This exploratory study examines identity exploration and commitment in different domains and how family structure (original/alternative), gender, and age affect these processes in a convenience sample of 388 college students. Results reveal that participants from alternative family structures explore more in the political and gender role domains…

Research investigating patterns of intergenerational risk taking has produced evidence of increased risk taking of female adolescents compared with their mother's generation and a reduction in the traditional gap between levels of teenage male and female risk taking. The research is part of a larger, multistage project on factors affecting…

The aim of this study is to assess late adolescents' evaluations of and reasoning about gender stereotypes in video games. Female (n = 46) and male (n = 41) students, predominantly European American, with a mean age 19 years, are interviewed about their knowledge of game usage, awareness and evaluation of stereotypes, beliefs about the influences…

Explored whether relationships between strain, anger, and deviant outcomes varied when using trait- or situational-based measures of anger, noting whether people with higher trait anger had increased likelihood of experiencing strain, becoming angry from strain, and responding deviantly. Relying on trait-based static indicators of anger was…

Explored young adults' autobiographical memories of their first consumption of cigarettes using a form of life history. Analysis of 276 college students' first-person essays indicated that the first-use experience was a symbolically significant and enduring life event. Participants provided rich, detailed recollections about the contextual nature…

Examined relationships between Erikson's notion of identity status and several self-related variables hypothesized to be antecedents and consequences of achieved identity. College student surveys indicated that degree of parental care and trust predicted identity achievement, which in turn predicted secure attachment and vitality. Identity…

Compared the identity-formation process of three groups of Norwegian late adolescents: university students, employed youths, and unemployed youths. Interview data indicated that all groups considered work of primary importance to sense of identity. Three factors initiated identity transitions differently across the groups: qualities of vocational…

Reconstitutes the "involvement" aspect of T. Hirschi's bond theory to substitute routine-activity patterns (RAPs) for involvement. Self-reports of 108 college freshmen suggest that involvement reconstituted as RAPs is an effective predictor of minor acts of delinquency. (SLD)

Studied student reflections and responses when they took on a stigmatized role, wearing a pink triangle in support of gay rights. Many of the 103 college students advanced through stages of identity development and moved to more open and positive ways of thinking about others. (SLD)

Examines the impact of occupational prestige on sex-typing of occupations in Israel based on gender and age group (366 adolescents, 532 university students, and 148 teachers). Overall, university students had the most liberal attitudes and young adolescents, the least. Suggestions are given for reducing stereotyping among adolescents. (SLD)

Studied the development and importance of the student perspective about the grade point average (GPA perspective) identified by H. Becker, B. Geer, and E. Hughes (1959) through the attitudes of 27 college students. Findings demonstrate the continued importance of the GPA perspective, which is often of greater concern to students than is learning.…

Examines perceptions and aspirations of 187 undergraduate students about the best and worst possible outcomes for themselves, the United States, and Europe. Results from the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale indicate students were more optimistic about their own futures, less so about Europe, and more pessimistic about America's future.…

Studied characteristics of nonparental significant adults that 285 university students recalled from when they were in elementary and secondary school. Minority students identified ethnically alike adults, with Caucasians selected second most often. Teachers and coaches represented more than half the nonrelated significant adults recalled. (SLD)

Examines the hypothesis that college has a substantial effect on political interest, awareness, and knowledge by comparing college students with a control group of noncollege cohorts. Finds that the effect of the passage of four years increases the awareness and knowledge of youth regardless of whether or not those years are spent in college.…