The Structure of Creativity in Primary Education: An Empirical Confirmation of the Amusement Park Theory

In this study, we explored the structure of pupils’ creativity in primary education following the Amusement Park Theory, by investigating undiscovered linkages between the domains of writing, mathematics, and drawing. More specifically, we examined: (a) whether some domains and general thematic areas are more closely related to each other than to others, (b) whether literacy and mathematical ability are specific underlying traits of creativity in writing and mathematics, respectively, and (c) whether intelligence and divergent thinking are related to creativity in all domains. The sample consisted of 331 Dutch 4th grade pupils. For each research question, a model was analyzed using structural equation modeling. We found creativity in mathematics and creativity in writing to be most similar, followed by creativity in mathematics and creativity in drawing, with creativity in writing and creativity in drawing being least similar. Additionally, we found evidence for several underlying traits (i.e., literacy ability and mathematical ability) and initial requirements of creativity (i.e., intelligence and divergent thinking), none of which were important for creativity in only one domain, and of which only intelligence was important for creativity in all domains. Herewith, our study provides insights regarding the complexity of the structure of creativity in primary education.     

Self-control behavior in hyperactive and nonhyperactive children

This study was aimed at evaluating the self-control behaviors of hyperactive (HA) and nonhyperactive (NHA) first-grade pupils under conditions of repeated failure on a previously learned concept formation task. Subjects were divided into HA and NHA groups on the basis of their scores on the Conners (1969) Teacher Rating Scale. During the training stage of the experiment the children learned a concept formation task under a schedule of contingent positive reinforcement. In the test stage they performed the same task but under a negative noncontingent reinforcement schedule. The results revealed no differences in initial rate of learning the task between the groups. After the introduction of the negative noncontingent reinforcement schedule, however, the HA group showed a marked decrease in the use of effective problem-solving strategies. The HA children's performance on the concept formation task was accompanied by the emission of negative self-evaluations and solution-irrelevant statements. The NHA group used significantly more statements showing useful goal directed cognitive mediations than the HA children. The results suggested that HA children may have deficits in self-control skills.Grateful acknowledgment is made to the two anonymous reviewers whose insightful comments were very helpful in producing the final form of this paper.     

Family mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: Changes in parent-adolescent internalizing symptoms in the United States

The current paper examined the temporal linkage of internalizing symptoms among parent-adolescent dyads during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether COVID-19-related concerns were associated with parent-adolescent linkage of symptoms. Using a 5-week survey-based study, parent-adolescent dyads filled out weekly surveys measuring COVID-19 concerns and internalizing symptoms. Parent and adolescent depressive symptoms did not change over time; however, adolescents experienced decreases in anxiety. Parent-adolescent dyads exhibited linkage in depressive symptoms but not anxiety symptoms. However, linkage in anxiety symptoms varied by parent's COVID-related stress. Study findings provide insight into how COVID-19 disruptions impacted family well-being during adolescence.     

The 3RT Test: Three reaction time tasks for IBM PC computers

The 3RT Test consists of a simple, a choice, and a conditional reaction time (RT) task. The three tasks involve comparable visual stimuli and require identical manual responses, but they differ in the complexity of cognitive processing required. The nonverbal stimuli convey commonly known meanings. Responses can be made either on the keyboard or on response keys connected to the computer’s serial port. The computer’s internal timer/counter is used for millisecond timing. The test administration program allows flexible setting of the test conditions. The data analysis program provides summary data not only for each RT task as a whole, but also for separate trial types within each task. Summary statistics include measures of variation and central value that are not affected by extreme scores. In addition to laboratory studies with normal adults, the 3RT Test is suitable for life-span developmental studies, cross-cultural comparisons, and other uses in various clinical settings.     

Methodological Issues in the Assessment of Traumatic Events1

Three sets of challenges in assessing traumatic events are discussed: Understanding the sequelae of such events and their implications for the timing of longitudinal data collection; obtaining information on the objective severity of such crises for the individuals affected; and determining the social and environmental context in which such extreme situations occur. Given the complexity of events that ensue from a traumatic experience and the need to understand their mental health consequences, a semistructured approach to measurement is recommended.     

Gestural beats: The rhythm hypothesis

Gestural beats are typically small up and down or back and forth flicks of one or both hands. It has been assumed by researchers hypothesizing about the interaction of beats and speech that beats coincide with verbal stress. Microanalysis shows that gestural beats are organized in rhythmic patterns and do not necessarily cooccur with stressed syllables as previously assumed. Tone group nuclei appear to function as gestational points for rhythmic groups, which supports the theory that thinking utilizes words as cognitive tools and provides evidence that in some cases entire tone units are formed in advance. Evidence of an interpersonal gestural rhythm is also presented.This research was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and from the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation.     

Attentiveness of mothers and fathers to their baby's cries

Thirty-two mother-father-infant triads participated in a study to examine whether parents' responsiveness to their own infant's distress was affected by the infant's birth order and gender. After separating from their 10- to 11-month-old baby, one parent from each family (16 mothers and 16 fathers) was selected to hear cries that were attributed to the child. Consistent with previous findings regarding physiological reactions to crying and observations of caretaking behavior, first-time parents gave quicker and more frequent attention to their infants than did multiporous parents. Speedy intervention was related to the amount of caretaking responsibilities that parents reported they assumed and to the age at which parents believed that their infant first recognized them. The results demonstrate the importance of caretaking for promoting parental sensitivity to infant signals.     

Effects of causal belief for prior success or failure on preferences to delay gratification in task contingent versus task noncontingent conditions1

This study investigated how causal belief for prior success or failure affected preferences to delay gratifications in task contingent versus task noncontingent conditions. Success or failure on the Treatment Task and belief about the outcome were experimentally induced to lead fourth-and fifth-grade pupils to perceive task performance as resulting from one of four factors (Ability, Task Difficulty, Effort, or Luck). Thereafter, each subject chose between smaller, noncontingent rewards and delayed, larger rewards that were contingent on waiting only or on successful performance on tasks which varied in similarity to the initial task. As predicted, preferences to delay were not differentially affected by success or failure when subjects believed unstable factors of effort or luck caused the outcome. However, delay was affected by prior success or failure when the belief was that the outcome resulted from stable factors of ability or task difficulty, with subjects delaying more after success than following failure. Furthermore, the outcome predicted delay on tasks identical or similar to the Treatment Task whereas belief about causality predicted delay on the Different Task. Delay was greater by subjects with ability or effort inductions than by subjects with a luck induction.     

Cognitive styles in the development of medical careers

Recent research has shown that academic choice and achievement may be partly a function of the student's standing on the field-dependence-independence cognitive-style dimension. The results of two longitudinal studies suggest that information about field dependence-independence may be of value for student guidance in the medical setting. The first, a study of college undergraduates who early expressed an interest in medicine, showed that these cognitive styles play a discernible role in determining who will eventually enter medical school. The second, a study of medical students, showed that field-dependent and field-independent students subsequently tend to choose different medical specialties. These results are consistent with cognitive-style theory, which proposes that field-independent people will choose vocations that require cognitive restructuring skills, whereas field-dependent people will choose vocations that require greater social-interpersonal involvement.