Examining psychopathy from an attachment perspective: the role of fear of rejection and abandonment

A key feature of psychopathy, a self-centered orientation towards others and a failure to truly connect, is poorly understood. The attachment framework can be used to examine underlying interpersonal mechanisms. Because of the overall failure to connect, we anticipated, and found, in a large undergraduate sample (n=1074) that both affective-interpersonal traits and impulsive-irresponsible psychopathy facets were positively related to attachment avoidance. Different dynamics may underlie this distancing from others, as evidenced by the fact that callous-unemotionality was negatively related to attachment anxiety, whereas grandiose-manipulative and impulsive-irresponsible traits were positively related to attachment anxiety. Although effect sizes were small and are of correlational nature, our results are in line with a dual deficit model that differential developmental trajectories, largely heritable callousness vs. neglecting and abusive parenting, may lead to adult psychopathy. The differentiating role of fear of rejection and abandonment for the psychopathy construct is discussed

Developing an Instrument to Examine Preservice Teachers' Pedagogical Development

National and international reform documents have forged blueprints for advancing science education. Coursework for preservice teachers needs to correspond to these documents by providing learning experiences that develop preservice teachers' capabilities to plan and implement reform measures. Using a pretest–posttest design, responses from 59 2nd-year preservice teachers from the same university were compared after involvement in an elementary science pedagogy coursework. The survey, which was linked to the course outcomes (constructs) and multiple indicators, measured the preservice teachers' perceptions of their development towards becoming elementary science teachers. A pretest–posttest survey linked to course outcomes can be employed to assess perceived pedagogical development of preservice teachers, which can inform further teaching practices for implementing science education reform agendas

Improving Student’s Motivation To Learning Math By Cooperative Learning Technique Make A Match

This study aims to enhance student’s motivation to learn mathematics by cooperative learning techniques make a match. This study is classroom action research who carried out collaboratively between researchers and mathematics teacher of class experiment and assisted by three observers at each meeting. Subjects were students of class VIII C SMP Negeri 14 Yogyakarta on scholl year 2008/2009, which consists of 35 persons with a heterogeneous capabilities. Research carried out in 2 cycles. Cycle 1 consisted of 4 meetings, and every meeting there which lasted for 2 x 40 minutes and some are held for 1 x 40 minutes. Cycle 2 consists of 2 meetings with each meeting lasted 2 x 40 minutes. The techniques to collect the data are done through observation, interview, questionnaire, and documentation. The results showed an increase in student’s motivation to learn mathematics after given action in the form of cooperative learning techniques make a match. In general, the implementation phase of learning is discussion on group using worksheet, the explanation the results of discussion by students, critism of the results of discussions, the game looking for a partner and asked questions among students, and group awards. Keyword: motivation to learning, cooperative learning technique make a match

Exploring the episodic structure of algebra story problem solving

This paper analyzes the quantitative and situational structure of algebra story problems, uses these materials to propose an interpretive framework for written problem-solving protocols, and then presents an exploratory study of the episodic structure of algebra story problem solving in a sizable group of mathematically competent subjects. Analyses of written protocols compare the strategic, tactical, and conceptual content of solution attampts, looking within these attempts at the interplay between problem comprehension and solution. Comprehension and solution of algebra story problems are complimentary activities, giving rise to a succession of problem solving episodes. While direct algebraic problem solving is sometimes effective, results suggest that the algebraic formalism may be of little help in comprehending the quantitative constraints posed in a problem text. Instead, competent problem solvers often reason within the situational context presented by a story problem, using various forms of "model-based reasoning" to identify, pursue, and verify quantitative constraints required for solution. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for acquiring mathematical concepts (e.g., related linear functions) and for supporting their acquisition through instruction