Adolescence : an ethological perspective /

Savin-Williams (human development and family studies, Cornell University) reviews the traditional research literature of the 20th century on adolescence and finds it woefully lacking in its ability to tell us much about ``how typical adolescents live their typical lives in their typical worlds.'' An ethologist, Savin-Williams makes a powerful appeal for the strengths of naturalistic observation of behavior in natural contexts. Data from five years of observing ten cabin groups, six male and four female, are compared to findings from other types of psychological measurement such as personality tests, self-reports, and peer ratings. The differences obtained in assessing dominance and altruism in these groups point to a methodological variable; these observations also have implications for the study of personality. Savin-Williams recognizes that these studies are exploratory, but they do provoke enough questions to stimulate further research. Includes extensive references. Recommended for upper-division undergraduate and graduate students.-B. Biales, The College of St. Catherine