Fourth-grade Boys Research Articles

Relation between cardiac patterns and reading performance in second and fourth grade children.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the relationship between reading performance and cardiac response patterns in young children. Continuous cardiac measures were taken on second and fourth grade boys and girls performing a reading task under Stress or No-stress conditions. Stress was introduced in order to manipulate cardiac level. Results indicated a significant but complex relationship between reading performance and: (1) Cardiac Response Patterns (Basal Cardiac Rate, Performance Cardiac Rare, Cardiac Rate Change); (2) Stress and Cardiac Response Pattern interaction; and (3) sex and age. The results generally confirmed and expanded previous findings.

Academic rank, task feedback and self-reinforcement in children.

This experiment explored the non-intellectual correlates of academic achievement from the perspective of research on self-regulation. Part I studied the relationship of class standing (in third and fourth grade boys) and self-reinforcement patterns. Ss evaluated their guesses on a perceptual task as Very Good or Bad. Boys of high class-standing were significantly more self-critical than boys of low class-standing. Part II explored the effects of positive, negative and no feedback on the same Ss. High Ss decreased more rapidly in self-criticism from Part I than Low Ss. Different feedbacks had no different effects on SR rates, but Low Ss tended to show more absolute change after feedback.

Hair trace metal levels and environmental exposure.

Hammer, D. I. (Ecological Research Branch, DHER, BCS, NAPCA, 411 West Chapel Hill St., Durham, N.C. 27701), J. F. Finklea, R. H. Hendricks, C. M. Shy and R. J. M. Horton. Hair trace metal levels and environmental exposure. Amer J Epidem 93: 84–92, 1971.—Hair trace metal levels were related to environmental exposure in a study of fourth-grade boys in cities representing exposure dose gradients for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn). Hair samples were carefully and stringently washed before analysis for As by spectrophotometry and for Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Hair trace metal distributions for As, Cd, Cu, and Pb were positively skewed while those for Zn were symmetrical. Means were in accord with exposure rankings for As, Cd, and Pb but not for Cu and Zn. When grouped across a ranking gradient, differences among the means for As, Cd, and Pb were statistically significant while those of Cu and Zn were not. The present study minimized possible effects of age, sex, hair color, varying hair length, and chemical treatments. Despite the problems of exogenous deposition, endogenous absorption routes, and relationships of hair metal to body burden, mean hair metals levels for As, Cd, and Pb accurately reflected community exposures.

The effects of verbal approval and disapproval upon the performance of third and fourth grade children on four subtests of the Wechsler intelligence scale for children

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of three modes of test administration upon the performance of third and fourth grade boys and girls on four subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Ninety Ss were randomly assigned to three groups, two experimental and one control. Each of the three groups was subdivided to enable two examiners to administer the same treatment. The Approval group was given verbal approval after the first response in each subtest and between subtests. Verbal disapproval was given in the same sequence for the Disapproval group. The Neutral group received the standard test administration without any intended approval or disapproval. For both examiners the Approval group performed significantly higher (p < .05) than the Disapproval group; the Neutral group performed higher than the Disapproval group and lower than the Approval group, although the differences were slightly less than significant at the .05 level.

The Interrelationship of Perceptual - Motor Achievement, Academic Achievement &amp; Intelligence of Fourth Grade Children

The relationship of perceptual-motor achievement, academic achievement, and intclligence was investigated. Eighty-six fourth grade boys and girls of normal intelligence were studied. On the basis of performance on the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT), 41 pupils were designated as low achievers and 45 were designated as high achievers. The California Test of Mental Maturity (CTMM) and a perceptualmotor battery consisting of 11 tests were also administered to the children. Scores on the perceptual-motor battery for all children correlated significantly with their CTMM and SAT scores. The combined group of male and female high achievers performed significantly better than the low achiever group on all subtests of the CTMM including IQ. They also scored significantly better on six of the 11 perceptual-motor tests. On the remaining five tests, no differences were noted.

THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL REINFORCEMENT ON THE ACHIEVEMENT BEHAVIOR OF FOURTHGRADE BOYS AND GIRLS

The study tested 2 hypotheses derived from Crandall's work (1963): (1) social reinforcement is an important goal of children's achievement behavior; and (2) girls are more responsive to external approval for achievement effort, while boys are more concerned with satisfying their own standards. Fourth-grade boys and girls, tested by male or female Es, were exposed to 1 of 4 reinforcement conditions: praise, correct, disapproval, or alone. Achievement behavior was measured by the rate of response on a digit-letter coding test. The first hypothesis was supported. All reinforcement conditions produced more achievement behavior than the alone condition. Praise was significantly more effective than correct and disapproval. The second hypothesis was not supported.

AGE AND SEX DIFFERENCES IN PAYOFF DEMANDS DURING TETRAD GEAME NEGOTIATIONS

This study was designed to investigate developmental changes in demand for payof in boys and girls. Within each grade-sex category, 84 third-grade boys, 64 fourth-grade boys, 100 third-grade girls, and 68 fourth-grade girls were randomly assigned to 4-person groups (tetrads). Each tetrad played 8 rounds of a negotiable, essential game defined by the power pattern 1-2-2-4. Results indicated consistently higher payoff demands when players held the high power weight 4, although there was wide variability among individuals at each weight level. Distribution of demands at power weight 4 suggests a progression away from accommodative behavior with third- and fourth-grade girls most accommodative. Third-grade boys were less accommodative, and fourth-grade boys were the least accommodative group. Possible explanations for these differences in payoff demand are discussed in terms of rule codification, cultural norms, evaluation of self-worth, and the concept of fairness.

IMITATION OF RESISTANCE TO TEMPTATION

The study tested the prediction that children in a tempting situation would imitate a model whether he exhibited yielding or resisting behavior. It was further predicted that subjects who observed a model who resisted while engaging in a prosocial alternative activity would resist temptation more than those who observed a model who resisted while remaining idle. Subjects were fourth-grade boys in 2 schools; the model was an adult male. Subjects who observed a yielding model showed significantly more yielding, but Ss who observed a resisting model-whether or not he engaged in a prosocial activity-showed no more resistance than the no model control. The Ss' responses on a Moral Behavior Questionnaire were inconsistently correlated with resistance to temptation. Significant differences between the 2 schools were found on all measures.

Auditory and visual rhythm perception in relation to reading ability in fourth grade boys.

Auditory-temporal rhythm perception or the ability to transpose from auditory-temporal to visual-spatial patterns is related to reading in fourth-grade boys in a way that is not fully accounted for by general intelligence.

VISUAL-MOTOR COORDINATION IN UNDERACHIEVING AND "NORMAL" SCHOOL BOYS.

Forty-five underachieving fourth, fifth, and sixth grade boys and 45 controls were administered the Ellis Visual Designs to determine whether underachievers have more difficulty in visual-motor coordination than the non-underachievers. The results showed no significant difference in the visual-motor performance by the groups. The results are interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that severe underachievement is not generally a result of brain damage but rather of other factors, presumably psychological in nature.

Effect of Discrimination Conflict upon Drive Level as Manifested in Children's Performance1

This experiment related to the hypothesis that discrimination conflict has a heightening effect upon drive level in the individual, when other drive-inducing factors are minimized. Each of 60 fourth-grade boys performed a series of discrimination trials in which S judged which of two lights came on first and pushed a button to indicate his choice. S pulled a lever following each trial. Relative drive level was inferred from the vigor of the lever-pulling responses. Difficult (Conflict) and simple (Nonconflict) trials were alternated irregularly for each S. Consistent with the above hypothesis was the finding that lever-pulling responses were significantly more vigorous following the Conflict trials.

Effect of Added Calisthenics on the Physical Fitness of Fourth Grade Boys and Girls

Abstract This study contrasted the physical fitness development of fourth grade boys and girls who participated in a regular elementary school physical education curriculum with those who participated in a regular elementary physical education curriculum with the addition of selected calisthenics. Physical fitness was measured by the Oregon Motor Fitness Test. In each class period, 3 min. 9 sec. were spent on the added calisthenics. The classes met four times per week. Results showed that both groups improved significantly in physical fitness in the six month period from September, 1962 to March, 1963. The experimental group having the added calisthenics improved significantly more than the control group.

Measuring Selected Motor Skills in Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grades

Abstract This article presents seven tests which were devised for measuring selected motor skills in fourth, fifth, and sixth grade boys and girls. An analysis of the data indicated that the tests were reliable for the population measured, and that age, height, and weight factors were not statistically significant in determining performance as measured by these tests. Performance standards were computed for each sex within each grade level.

Dis‐honor rolls

The validity of scholastic grades as a single index of ability is questionable. At best they can be no more than a statistical representation of the child's capacity to reproduce information and materials. Grades, in other words, indicate an ability to store facts, and, when the proper stimulus occurs, to reproduce them. The reactions of two fourth-grade boys to a decision in a spelling match comes to mind. Andrew, the last boy standing but not on the roll was given the word, march. He spelled M-A-R-C-H without hesitation but was declared wrong by the teacher because he had failed to capitalize M. Andrew disagreed with the teacher's decision, stating that she had not asked him to spell the name of the month, so he spelled the word which means to move together in a body. David, a perpetual honor-roller upheld the decision. He said the teacher was right for they had had no other march in class except March. A position of honor simply indicates to the interested public that this particular boy or girl has learned to give the right answers at the right time. Membership on the roll might even mean the child behaves well and hence lessens the teacher's problems. The most unbiased teacher in the world finds her patience cellophane thick after coping with six daily hours of other peoples' problems. The rare exceptions who are either afraid to misbehave or feel no particular agression against said teacher, stand out as paragons of some virtue, if not intellectual. It is not surprising that they are rewarded in the language most easily understood by the educational twins, punil and parent; if they are not on high honor, they are content with plain HONOR. That parents should reach false or exaggerated assumptions of the real meaning of honor-roll membership is not surprising. School authorities seldom publicize or explain their purpose in making distinctions in scholastic abilities aside from a few stereotyped remarks printed on the cards. Hence all parents, of bright and dull alike, are free to interpret report cards as best they can, and render tribute or punishment accordingly. This ranges from bestowal of material gifts to deprivation of routine activities. Children are placed in mental show-cases or dungeons depending on their luck. If their luck was good, they as well as their parents assume roles of scholastic museum