Teachers’ autonomy support,autonomy suppression and conditional negative regard as predictors of optimal learning experience among high-achieving Bedouin students

The study is based on self-determination theory and focuses on the motivation of high-achieving Bedouin students who belong to a hierarchical-collectivist society. The study focuses on the question: What are the relations between teachers’ autonomy support and control and an optimal learning experience among students? The study is unique in its population and in the distinction it draws between two types of teachers’ control: autonomy suppression (explicit control), and conditional negative regard, a phenomenon examined for the first time in teachers (implicit psychological control). The study population consisted of 144 students from seven high schools (74% girls) who completed questionnaires at two time-points. Structural equation modeling analysis indicated that perceived need satisfaction was positively predicted by teachers’ autonomy support, and negatively predicted by teachers’ conditional negative regard, while perception of a teacher as autonomy suppressive contributed directly and negatively to autonomous motivation. In turn psychological need satisfaction positively predicted autonomous motivation in learning that in turn predicted positive emotions and engagement in learning. The hypothesized mediation model has a good fit with the data. The findings have implications concerning the optimal conditions for learning among Bedouin students in general and high-achieving students in particular, and concerning the importance of autonomy-supportive teaching and refraining from control, explicit and implicit alike.     

Clarifying the Concept of Androgyny: Implications for Therapy

Logical inconsistencies between Bern's theoretical and empirical definitions of androgyny are discussed. It is pointed out that one can be high in both masculine and feminine traits but that these can be expressed in inappropriate, inflexible, and dysfunctional ways. Case materials illustrative of this situation are presented. Androgyny defined as an equal balance of masculinity and femininity is portrayed on an initial, dualistic notion of androgyny, which is a precursor to a more advanced, hybrid androgynous state. Some issues involved in conceptualizing androgyny in hybrid terms are delineated, along with requisite considerations for the clinician in utilizing this model of androgyny.     

The Educational Crisis in American Reform Judaism

The American Reform Judaism movement has been undergoing revitalization in all areas of its interaction with its rabbis and laity. One of the concerns it is presently addressing is the condition of its educational programs for its children, teenagers and adults; it is now reevaluating and reformulating these programs to bring in maximum benefits. Assimilation, apathy, and acculteration are three of the thorniest problems with which the Reform movement has had to contend for most of its 200-year history. From recent assimilation and apathy comes endemic intermarriage with non-Jewish spouses, and widespread disinterest in ritual observance and in Judaism itself. Acculturation has brought American Jews strong feelings of wanting to be very much part of the American society, and this acculturation has fanned the flames of apathy. Jews have historically maintained their religious individualism and kept their religious collective body whole through education and knowledge of Judaism. Strong educational programs are absolutely essential in the fight against apathy.     

Interpretation(s) of elasticity in operant demand

This brief report provides an account of varying interpretations of elasticity (η ) in the operant demand framework. General references to “demand elasticity” have existed since the Exponential model of operant demand was proposed by Hursh and Silberberg (2008). This term has been used interchangeably with Essential Value (EV), P_MAX, and the rate of change constant α . This report provides an in-depth account of η and the various ways in which this metric has been used to interpret fitted demand functions. A review of relevant mathematic terms, operations associated with differentiating parameters, and worked solutions for η are provided for linear and nonlinear demand functions. The relations between η and EV, P_MAX, and α are described and explained in terms of their mathematical bases and recommendations are provided regarding their individual interpretation. This report concludes with recommendations for providing additional mathematical detail in published works and emphasizing a consistent use of terms when describing aspects of operant demand.     

Identification and Sensitivity Analysis for Average Causal Mediation Effects with Time-Varying Treatments and Mediators: Investigating the Underlying Mechanisms of Kindergarten Retention Policy

Considering that causal mechanisms unfold over time, it is important to investigate the mechanisms over time, taking into account the time-varying features of treatments and mediators. However, identification of the average causal mediation effect in the presence of time-varying treatments and mediators is often complicated by time-varying confounding. This article aims to provide a novel approach to uncovering causal mechanisms in time-varying treatments and mediators in the presence of time-varying confounding. We provide different strategies for identification and sensitivity analysis under homogeneous and heterogeneous effects. Homogeneous effects are those in which each individual experiences the same effect, and heterogeneous effects are those in which the effects vary over individuals. Most importantly, we provide an alternative definition of average causal mediation effects that evaluates a partial mediation effect; the effect that is mediated by paths other than through an intermediate confounding variable. We argue that this alternative definition allows us to better assess at least a part of the mediated effect and provides meaningful and unique interpretations. A case study using ECLS-K data that evaluates kindergarten retention policy is offered to illustrate our proposed approach.     

Unruly difference: the politics of stigma and the space of the sacred

This essay looks at three contemporary Jewish American playwrights: Tony Kushner, Martin Sherman and Deb Margolin, whose plays ask fundamental questions about Jewish identity in its political, cultural and spiritual dimensions. Breaking from the concerns of their theatrical predecessors, most of whom ignored or disguised their Jewish roots, these playwrights draw on profoundly Jewish concepts to reconfigure narratives of redemption, obligation, ethical community, and Messianic utopianism. Their plays are characterized by a sensibility of “unruly difference.” Attracted by the politics of marginality; these writers re-imagine otherness in plays that celebrate a different understanding of faith and conjure the sublime. By carving out a more capacious definition of Judaism that embraces contradiction and contention, faith and doubt, progressive social vision and deepened spiritual commitment, they sit aslant the mainstream. They are drawn to their understanding of the spiritual power and cultural grandeur of the Jewish heritage, but question the politics of accommodation and the limitations of tradition and law. The ambivalence these writers express about Judaism adds to the complexity of their writing and to its value as a cultural indicator. Working in new idioms, they refute traditional discourses and dominant paradigms of conformity and coalescence that characterize modern Jewish-American life.     

Communicative gestures in aphasia

Gestural communications of 10 mild and moderate aphasics and five controls were examined in two conditions: Face-to-face informal dyadic conversation and restricted visual access between speaker and listener. Gestural production was significantly reduced with restriction of visual access, supporting the posited communicative function of the hand and arm gestures investigated in this study. No differences were found between aphasic and control subjects in the rate of gestural communication in the natural condition of face-to-face interaction. Moderate aphasics, however, were found to produce proportionally fewer of the complex semantic modifying and relational communicative gestures and more nonspecific, nonconsensually shared, unclear gestures. Gestural complexity was significantly negatively correlated with measures of linguistic impairment for the aphasics. The relationship between the frequency and complexity of communicative gestures and concurrent verbalizations was also examined. The findings of this study provide confirmation for the view that there is an identifiable class of gestures utilized by aphasics for communication, aphasics are impaired in their gestural communicative competence in natural conditions of communication, and the quality of aphasics' gestural communications parallels changes in their verbal communication patterns.     

Depressive symptoms among spousal caregivers of institutionalized mates with Alzheimer's: boundary ambiguity and mastery as predictors

The goal of this study was to identify factors that predict whether or not community-dwelling spouses experience depressive symptoms upon institutionalization of a mate with Alzheimer's disease. Eighty-four community-dwelling spouses (50 wives/34 husbands) completed questionnaires. Boundary ambiguity alone accounted for 51% of the variability in the depressive symptoms score, while mastery alone was found to account for 32%. The total explained variance, when controlling for demographic variables, was 68%. In the stepwise regression analysis, it was observed that mastery did not add significantly to the explanation of the depressive symptom score over and above boundary ambiguity. However, boundary ambiguity and mastery were somehow linked together and were powerful in explaining caregiver symptoms of depression. If a goal is to keep caregivers healthy, then interventions and education about how to live with ambiguity and how to be masterful in spite of the ambiguous status of one's mate seem necessary. Clinical implications are discussed. Future research might build upon this study's limitations for an even better understanding of factors that relate to caregiver depressive symptoms.