Pronominal Reference Child Language and the Theory of Grammar

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The evidence for the adverse effects of television on the acquisition of reading skills and creativity (ideational fluency) is most provocative and should provide impetus for other investigators to take a fresh look at these domains. The marked drop in participation in community activities after the advent of television is strikingly documented. The authors have utilized Barker and Gump's concept of behavior settings to determine the proportion of people in each town who participated in each setting, their level of involvement, and the function the setting plays in the community. Amont the many interesting findings that warrant further study are the drop in participation in community activities by older people and the sharp decline in participation in outdoor sports by adolescents. The authors thoughtfully discuss the implications of these findings for the social structure and physical health of the community. The book merits serious attention. It reminds us of the richness of field studies in natural settings and of questions that have been neglected in a scientific climate in which social learning theory has dominated inquiry.
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Child Development Abstracts and Bibliography