An activity theory approach to memory

The articles which follow report independent research that originated in a collaborative group now organized as the Laboratory for Cognitive Studies of Work. Laboratory members are collectively engaged in working out a conceptual framework for cognitive research based on activity theory. Beach and Stevens, together with Scribner, elaborated this framework in the domain of memory, and in this introduction we will briefly sketch its principal implications for the ecological study of memory.     

Origins of childhood fears: an evaluation of Rachman's theory of fear acquisition

This study explored Rachman's (1977) theory of fear acquisition in a large sample of Australian and American children and adolescents. Participants completed a questionnaire that addressed different pathways of fear acquisition for 10 highly prevalent fears. The majority of children attributed the onset of their fears to vicarious and instructional factors, although these indirect sources of fear were often combined with direct conditioning experiences. Also examined were effects for gender, age, and nationality. Boys and preadolescents were found to report more direct and vicarious experiences than girls or adolescents. Effects due to nationality were minimal. Methodological limitations attendant to self-reports were acknowledged.     

Validity issues in research on Vietnam veteran adjustment

For 2 decades America's Vietnam veterans have been viewed as presenting special problems, and researchers from various disciplines have attempted to understand the network of cause-and-effect relationships accounting for their psychosocial status. In this article, Cook and Campbell's (1979) framework is used to examine validity issues in Vietnam veteran research. Threats to each of the types of validity (statistical conclusion, internal, construct, and external) are discussed using examples from the literature. To counteract these threats and strengthen future research, 7 recommendations are offered.     

Worker Well-Being: What it Is,and how it Should Be Measured

Applied Research in Quality of Life - Worker well-being is a hot topic in organizations, consultancy and academia. However, too often, the buzz about worker well-being, enthusiasm for new programs...     

Gender Inequality Lowers Educational Aspiration for Adolescent Boys and Girls: A Multi-Level and Longitudinal Study in China

Sex Roles - Adolescent students' educational aspiration is a crucial predictor of both concurrent academic achievement and educational attainment later in life. Past studies on educational...     

The Role of Attachment Representation in the Relationship Between Depressive Symptomatology and Social Withdrawal in Middle Childhood

We investigated the relationships among attachment representation, social withdrawal, and depressive symptomatology in childhood. A total of 326 children aged 8 to 10 years participated in the study. Children completed a family drawing procedure to assess attachment representation, the Children's Depression Inventory and the Social Withdrawal subscale of the Personality Inventory for Youth. Social withdrawal and attachment representations indicative of attachment dysfunction were each found to be positively correlated with depressive symptomatology. Further, attachment representation was found to significantly moderate the relationship between withdrawal and depression such that the positive relationship between withdrawal and depression was attenuated in the absence of attachment representations indicative of attachment dysfunction.