Diagnosing students’ misconceptions in algebra: Results from an experimental pilot study

Computer-based diagnostic assessment systems hold potential to help teachers identify sources of poor performance and to connect teachers and students to learning activities designed to help advance students’ conceptual understandings. The present article presents findings from a study that examined how students’ performance in algebra and their overcoming of common algebraic misconceptions were affected by the use of a diagnostic assessment system that focused on important algebra concepts. This study used a four-group randomized cluster trial design in which teachers were assigned randomly to one of four groups: a “business as usual” control group, a partial intervention group that was provided with access to diagnostic tests results, a partial intervention group that was provided with access to the learning activities, and a full intervention group that was given access to the test results and learning activities. Data were collected from 905 students (6th–12th grade) nested within 44 teachers. We used hierarchical linear modeling techniques to compare the effects of full, partial, and no (control) intervention on students’ algebraic ability and misconceptions. The analyses indicate that full intervention had a net positive effect on ability and misconception measures.     

The danger of Durkheim: Ambiguity in the theory of social effervescence

The purpose of this article is to shed light on an ambiguity in Émile Durkheim's theory of social effervescence. Durkheim's failure to distinguish two kinds of effervescence at the heart of the religious rite has left a dangerous legacy in the study of religion. If his work is read, however, in light of René Girard's theory of the violent origins of religion, his analysis of la société can retain the distinction between the effervescence of the crowd in scapegoating and the effervescence of protecting the victims of scapegoating. This thesis is tested by briefly comparing some contemporary essays on Durkheim.     

Simultaneous presentation of similar stimuli produces perceptual learning in human picture processing

Human participants received unsupervised exposure to difficult-to-discriminate stimuli (e.g., A and A'), created with a morphing procedure from photographs of faces, before learning a discrimination between them. Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrated that prior exposure enhanced later discrimination and that intermixed exposure (A, A', A, A'...) resulted in better subsequent discrimination than blocked exposure (B, B, ...B', B'...). Experiments 3 and 4 showed that simultaneous exposure to 2 similar stimuli facilitated the later acquisition of both a simultaneous and a successive discrimination, and this effect was observed even though simultaneous exposure to 2 stimuli fostered the development of an excitatory association between them (Experiment 5). The findings of Experiments 1 and 2 revealed a perceptual learning effect with pictures of faces, and the findings of Experiments 3-5 are difficult to reconcile with associative analyses of perceptual learning.     

Use of the MMPI-A to detect substance abuse in a juvenile correctional setting.

In this study, we examined the ability of the MMPI-A (Butcher et al., 1992) to detect substance abuse problems in a juvenile correctional setting. Specifically, we evaluated the Alcohol/Drug Problem Acknowledgment scale (ACK; Weed, Butcher, & Williams, 1994), the Alcohol/Drug Problem Proneness scale (PRO; Weed et al., 1994), and the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale-Revised (MAC-R; Butcher et al., 1992) in the prediction of substance abuse. In addition, the incremental validity of ACK in comparison to PRO was evaluated, as was the incremental validity of PRO in comparison to ACK. The sample consisted of 123 boys and girls from ajuvenile correctional facility in Northeastern Ohio. Results indicate that ACK and PRO, but not MAC-R, were related to interviewer ratings of substance abuse. Results point to the superiority of ACK over PRO in substance abuse identification.     

Research and Theory Religion and Spirituality in Coping With Stress

Relations among and between religion, spirituality, and the ability to cope with stress were examined using a sample of 115 graduate students in counseling. Religion and spirituality positively correlated with coping with stress. Counseling students who expressed spirituality through religious beliefs had greater spiritual health and immunity to stressful situations than counseling students who identified themselves as spiritual but not religious. Counseling students with a religious/spiritual affiliation indicated more discomfort counseling clients hostile to religion compared with counseling students with a spiritual‐only affiliation. The results have implications for preparing counseling students to work with clients with religious/spiritual issues.     

The Use of Standard Parenting Management Training in Addressing Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: A Pilot Study

Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy - Parent management training has demonstrated effectiveness in the treatment of child behavioural issues and associated conduct difficulties. Anger,...