News and Events

It's time (probably past time) to let you know about a few IHD-related things. In this "newsletter", notices about past and future fall events, and an IHD 75th birthday conference in the spring.

1. On Friday November 1, invited by the Berkeley Center for the Development of Peace and Well-being, Jonathan Kozol, visited IHD's "Getting the Word out Committee" in the morning and gave a very well-attended (about 450 people), passionate talk in the afternoon at International House on the abysmal features of education for low income children and what can be done to make things different.

On Saturday November 2, the Getting the Word Out Committee's fourth annual workshop for child care workers, teachers, and administrators was held at the Clark Kerr Conference Center. Eight speakers focused on Diversities in the Classroom (language, ethnicity, learning styles, neurological). More than 250 people signed up, and we had to turn some away. The excitement of the speakers and attendees alike was inspiring. Evaluations were enthusiastic and suggested again that there is a hunger experienced by those on the front lines to know what researchers and clinicians in the University have been finding out about children's development and adaptation.

2. There will be three new IHD related events in the fall semester

WEDNESDAY - November 13: 12-2pm at IHD

Fabrice Clement, a former Visiting Scholar at IHD, now at the University of Michigan will be visiting and giving a talk on his research findings in 1111 Tolman. The goal of this talk is to present the first results of an experiment (done in Berkeley) with 3 to 6 year old children. Are children prone to believe an apparently reliable source? Or are they going to refuse any manifestly wrong information? The first results, quite astonishing, will be presented, and some hypotheses discussed. In conclusion, some pedagogical and political consequences will also be proposed.

THURSDAY - December 5: 6-8:30 pm

At the Radisson Berkeley Marina Hotel, Angel Island Room
Sponsored by the Berkeley Center for the Development of Peace and Well-Being

Stephen P. Hinshaw will read from his new book: "The Years of Silence are Past: My Father's Life with Bipolar Disorder" (Cambridge University Press, 2002).

There will be a panel discussion, reception, and book signing. The event is free and open to the public. If you would like to attend, RSVP: hinshaw@socrates.berkeley.edu OR ecpayne@uclink.berkeley.edu

FRIDAY - December 6: 12:30-2

Elliot Turiel will talk briefly about his new book "The Cultureof Morality: Social development, context, and conflict" published by Cambridge University Press. This is an informal session with a chance to celebrate the publication, and engage with the author in a discussion of some of the main ideas of the book. Refreshments will be provided.

3. Mark your calendars for a SPRING SPECTACULAR

This spring, IHD celebrates its 75th birthday and we have planned a very exciting event. It will be co-sponsored with IPSR and the Psychology Department and other units on Campus :

“The Future of Longitudinal Studies: What we know; what we don’t know; what we need to know”

Thursday evening March 20-Saturday March 22, 2003
at the Radisson Berkeley Marina Hotel

The central structure of this working conference will include up to 20 visitors from outside Berkeley in dialogue with 20-30 Berkeley faculty centrally involved in longitudinal studies. Panels will include 3-5 SHORT (10 minute) presentations followed by discussion among the panelists, followed by discussion with the conference participants. We have found that this provides an effective format to highlight important concepts and methods and to develop an overview of a complex and changing field.

Visitors from outside Berkeley who have agreed to attend so far include:

Lindsay Chase-Lansdale, Northwestern University
Ken Dodge, Duke University
John Coie, Duke University
Tom Cook, Northwestern University
Byron Egeland, University of Minnesota
Frank Furstenberg, University of Pennsylvania
Andy Collins, University of Minnesota
Rand Conger, University of California, Davis
Gilbert Gottlieb, University of North Carolina
Helena Kraemer, Department of Psychiatry, Stanford
John J. McArdle, University of Virginia
Ross Parke, UC Riverside
Craig Ramey, Georgetown University
Sharon Ramey, Georgetown University
David Reiss, Psychiatry, George Washington University
Sir Michael Rutter, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Alan Sroufe, University of Minnesota

THESE DISTINGUISHED VISITORS (and several others to be invited) WILL ENGAGE WITH AN EQUALLY DISTINGUISHED ROSTER OF BERKELEY RESEARCHERS TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT STATE OF THE ART IN LONGITUDINAL RESEARCH

At the beginning of the Spring Semester we will be asking faculty and students register for the conference. There will be no cost for the conference, and morning refreshments and lunch will be provided. We expect participants to sign up for the whole program rather than specific parts/days.

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TENTATIVE PROGRAM OUTLINE
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THURSDAY EVENING March 20: 7-9:30pm
I. INTRODUCTIONS AND ORIENTATION TO THE LONGITUDINAL STUDIES
Welcome from the Institute of Human Development and Introduction to the conference
A brief historical view of the Berkeley Longitudinal studies:
Followed by a reception

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FRIDAY, March 21
II. MEASURING CHANGE IN CHANGING TIMES
There is a close connection between method and substance. What we find is shaped by how we look. How we look is shaped by what we find. We need to know more about what the "cutting edge" new methods of analyzing longitudinal data will yield. Do we all have to move to "growth curve" analyses or is there a place for traditional ways of looking at longitudinal data?

III. INFERRING CAUSALITY FROM LONGITUDINAL STUDIES
Longitudinal studies have often been championed as necessary for establishing the direction of associations and causal connections between variables. What can and cannot be inferred about causality from longitudinal studies?

LUNCH

IV. THE RECIPROCAL RELATION BETWEEN STUDIES OF HEALTH/NORMALITY AND ILLNESS/PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
How can studies of health and normality help us to understand the development of illness and psychopathology and vice versa? How can we respond to invitations from federal funding sources for "translation research" that extends concepts and methods from "basic research" to elucidate mechanisms of adaptation and dysfunction in clinical populations? Why can't there be a call for translation research in the other direction?

4-5:30 Poster-session: no host bar

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SATURDAY, March 22
V. BIOLOGY AND BIOMEDICAL STUDIES
New trends in the study of biobehavioral development. How can the study of biological processes and biological development inform the study of individual development and the development of relationships? What do longitudinal studies using both biological and psychological markers have to say about health?

VI. LONGITUDINAL STUDIES AND PUBLIC POLICY
In this time when social science findings have increasingly been cited in political discussions and policy debates, it is essential to consider what longitudinal studies can legitimately contribute to policy decisions in government and business (e.g., issues about marriage, divorce, non-traditional families, childcare, health services, welfare regulations).

LUNCH

VII. BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER:
There is a gap in the current literature between large scale epidemiologically-based longitudinal studies using survey techniques and smaller scale intensive studies using a combination of observational and self-report measures.
· What are the strengths and limitations of each approach?
· What can non-experimental longitudinal studies accomplish?
· What should be included in the "ideal" longitudinal study
Commentary: Michael Rutter: Discussion by the group

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Philip A. Cowan
Director, Institute of Human Development