The effects of the family context and parent involvement on perceptions of children's school achievement

The study examined dimensions of the family context associated with variations in parent involvement and parent perceptions of children's school achievement using data from 1,085 male and 2,239 female respondents with a child between the ages of 5 and 18 years collected in the 1987-88 National Survey of Families and Households. Small but significant differences in parent perceptions of school achievement were found in favor of children being raised in a first-married two-parent home. Negative effects on school outcomes were centered on children who experienced family disruption. Living in a one-parent household with a parent who was previous married was associated with parent reports of poorer performance for elementary school children and lower grades for adolescents. Neither living in a one-parent household with a continuously single parent nor living in a stepfamily was significantly related to achievement. Parent employment status was not directly related to children's achievement but did have indirect effects through parent involvement both at home and school. Parent involvement at school and in child-centered home activities was associated with perceptions of improved school performance for elementary school children and higher grades for adolescents. Mothers were more likely to be involved in children's schooling than fathers. Single and cohabiting mothers were less involved at school than first-married mothers, but single fathers tended to be more likely to participate than their first-married counterparts. There were no significant differences between the home involvement of single mothers and their first-married counterparts but single fathers were more involved at home than first-married fathers. For both mothers and fathers, receiving tangible aid from a wide network of relatives and friends was associated with higher levels of school and home involvement. Findings suggest that educators who have negative beliefs about single parents' engagement in school-family partnerships may be influenced by these parents' low presence at school. Recognizing that single parents are as involved with their children at home as parents in traditional families can lead to educational practices that support home involvement and result in positive effects on children's academic progress

Toward a theory of restraint

Consumption largely remains a black box in the population, environment, and global change debates. The dominant perspective takes insatiability as axiomatic and assumes that reduced consumption will only happen through scarcity or the impositions of external authority. Yet humans often exhibit resource limiting behavior that is not the result of external controls nor is it altruistic or aberrant. This article develops the concept of restraint as an evolutionarily and culturally significant behavior, yet one that in modern times has been relegated to a regressive, if not trivial, status. The article defines restraint, hypothesizes its historical and evolutionary roots, lays out the conditions under which it can occur, and develops a theoretical parallel to cooperation in international relations theory.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43491/1/11111_2005_Article_BF02208422.pd

EFFECT OF CONTROLLABLE AND UNCONTROLLABLE NEONATAL PRE-SHOCKS ON ADULT ESCAPE-AVOIDANCE BEHAVIOR IN THE GUINEA-PIG (CAVIA-PORCELLUS)

Neonatal guinea pigs were given escapable, inescapable, or no shock and were later tested as adults on a signaled escape/avoidance task. During the neonatal period, the animals that could escape shock learned to do so quickly and steadily increased their overall level of activity, while those that could not, displayed a consistent decline in activity. Furthermore, during adult escape/avoidance sessions, guinea pigs, that could control neonatal shock were superior to those that lacked such control. These findings extend the generality of the interference effect to the guinea pig and highlight the influence of early control of aversive events on th.is phenomenon

Promoting Conservation Behavior in shared Spaces: The Role of Energy Monitors

Public university buildings are fascinating if somewhat complicated behavior settings. Designed and managed for a broad range of users, these buildings present a challenge to those trying to promote energy conservation. This is even more so when the goal is not a technology-based approach but conservation through direct involvement. This article discusses one type of participation - the use of energy monitors to promote campus sustainability. Volunteer staff members were given responsibility for monitoring lighting energy usage in the public and shared spaces near their offices. They were encouraged to promote energy conservation by shutting off unneeded lights and by informally discussing their activities with other building users. This relatively simple and direct approach proved effective in reducing energy waste.University of Michigan Energy Program (Project No. 136560)Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/83706/1/De_Young,_R._(1989-1990)_Promoting_conservation_behavior_in_shared_spaces,_JES,_19,_3,_265-273.pd