Some processes in children's comprehension of linguistically and visually depicted relationships

A type of paired-associate task was given to 64 kindergarteners and 64 fifth-graders. In four conditions both linguistic and pictorial stimuli were presented simultaneously. In one condition, both a linguistic and pictorial relationship between two objects was depicted; in a second, only the linguistic aspect of the stimuli depicted a relationship; in the third condition, only the picture was relational; and in the fourth, neither the sentences nor the pictures portrayed a relationship between the objects. The results indicate that a relationship in both modes facilitated recall more than the presentation of a relationship in only one mode. A relationship in either mode enhanced recall more than no relationship at all. There were general significant age and IQ effects. The results are interpreted as favoring a duo-system model, with both representation and comprehension occurring within the context of relatively independent systems.     

Dissolving the diaspora: Dialogical practice in the development of deep multiculturalism

This article is an exposition of deep or critical multiculturalism that is grounded in a mutually respectful dialogue. Such multiculturalism names historical oppressions, recognizes the structural causes of injustice and inequality, and is profoundly open to cultural critique, challenge and change. In order to promote such a multicultural practice, the article makes the case for a dialogical politics of deep and mutual respect in which ethno‐religious sensibilities are validated and welcomed in their rich diversity. In doing so, the article draws upon the author's empirical research on the Muslim minority in contemporary Canada. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spirituality in Education: Promoting Children's Spiritual Development through Values

This paper reports on research in the Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit (WRERU) at the University of Warwick regarding an educational programme, which is based on what are perceived to be universal values. The programme aims to contribute to the spiritual development of children in schools, which is one of the statutory requirements of mainstream school provision in England and Wales. The Sathya Sai Education in Human Values (SSEHV) offers material which seeks to promote ‘human values’. The paper explores what these values are and why they are perceived to be of a universal nature. The focus on values introduces spiritual dimensions which are examined with reference to the educational contexts in which they are conveyed. The contents of the programme and the development from its inception are described. The paper is based on ethnographic data collected in classrooms and other educational environments where the programme has found application.     

“We Got To Live Together”: The Psychology of Encounter and the Politics of Engagement

The article is set in the normative claim that our work as political psychologists emerges from concerns with our contemporary worlds and that political psychologists should not hesitate to draw out the policy implications of their own work. Following a brief explanation of the Allport tradition of the contact hypothesis and its critics, the article proposes four analytical considerations that contribute to the further understanding of the psychology of encounter and the politics of engagement: First, the insight that the individual is already constituted as a social being, through contact; second, an exploration of the opportunities and challenges of dialogue; third, the changing nature of selfhood, agency, and identity in the contemporary world; and, finally, through deep multiculturalism, the cosmopolitical perspective, and the politics of care, the case for a viable and sustainable politics of engagement.     

Gamelike features might not improve data

Many psychological experiments require participants to complete lots of trials in a monotonous task, which often induces boredom. An increasingly popular approach to alleviate such boredom is to incorporate gamelike features into standard experimental tasks. Games are assumed to be interesting and, hence, motivating, and better motivated participants might produce better data (with fewer lapses in attention and greater accuracy). Despite its apparent prevalence, the assumption that gamelike features improve data is almost completely untested. We test this assumption by presenting a choice task and a change detection task in both gamelike and standard forms. Response latency, accuracy, and overall task performance were unchanged by gamelike features in both experiments. We present a novel cognitive model for the choice task, based on particle filtering, to decorrelate the dependent variables and measure performance in a more psychologically meaningful manner. The model-based analyses are consistent with the hypothesis that gamelike features did not alter cognition. A postexperimental questionnaire indicated that the gamelike version provided a more positive and enjoyable experience for participants than the standard task, even though this subjective experience did not translate into data effects. Although our results hold only for the two experiments examined, the gamelike features we incorporated into both tasks were typical of—and at least as salient and interesting as those usually used by—experimental psychologists. Our results suggest that modifying an experiment to include gamelike features, while leaving the basic task unchanged, may not improve the quality of the data collected, but it may provide participants with a better experimental experience.     

The Effectiveness of Student Canvassers1

Student Es delivcred persuasive communications against US. involvement in Southeast Asia to community residents in the residents' homes. The Ss received either a written communication (a pamphlet), or a verbal communication (a talk with a student E), or, on successive occasions, both. A control group received neither communication. Later all the Ss were approached by other student Es with a relevant opinion inventory. At this time they were also offered a choice of contrasting petitions to sign. The attitude measure reflected no difference as a result of the written communication, and a negative persuasion effect for the verbal communication. Also Ss signed significantly fewer petitions, whether pro or con, after the verbal communication. The pragmatic implications of these results are discussed as they relate to student canvassers in the community.