Poor women who are physically or sexually abused at some point in their lives are less likely to maintain stable intimate relationships, according to a new study of more than 2,500 women by sociologists from The Johns Hopkins University and Penn State.

Children and adult bystanders who witness repeated abuse inflicted on others may experience both a psychological and physiological stress level that, over time, can equal that of the victim, according to a Penn State researcher.

In encouraging low-income single mothers to earn a college education, federal and state governments, along with higher education institutions, will make a solid, long-term investment for the whole society, a Penn State researcher says. Some policymakers object to using tax dollars to subsidize a college education for single mothers on partial welfare, notes Donald E. Heller, associate professor of education. They apparently believe that this discriminates against working-class, tax-paying Americans who earn an adequate wage but whose income still leaves them out of reach of a college education. But that viewpoint bars single mothers with college aspirations from becoming productive, taxpaying citizens themselves. It's a no-win situation for everybody, says Heller, also senior research associate with the University's Center for the Study of Higher Education.

Over the past quarter-century, the gender gap has favored the Democratic Party whenever the economy slumps and the number of women-headed households increases, according to a Penn State political scientist. Women who run households - whether single, divorced or widowed -- are near the bottom of the socioeconomic scale - and are more vulnerable to economic downturns, says Suzanna L. De Boef, associate professor of political science. Because they perceive the Democratic Party as more likely to provide social programs favoring female-headed households, women in this category gravitate toward Democratic candidates.

From Oct. 14-16, Penn State will be host for this year's Second Language Research Forum (SLRF), an internationally renowned conference organized by graduate students that brings together researchers in second-language acquisition from around the world. The theme of this year's conference, "Convergence and Collage," captures the diversity of perspectives on second-language acquisition found at Penn State within applied linguistics and the language sciences. Applied linguistics focuses on the application of findings from linguistics and other fields (such as anthropology, education, psychology and sociology) to better understand foreign- and second-language teaching and learning and the social contexts in which they occur. The language sciences use experimental and formal methods to gain insights into the cognitive and linguistic basis of second-language acquisition.

Stringent board oversight, threats of prompt dismissal for poor performance, compensation contracts with heavy contingent pay elements, and other mechanisms designed to maximize shareholder value may actually hinder the performance of top executives according to research co-authored by Donald C. Hambrick of Penn State's Smeal College of Business. "Executive Job Demands: New Insights for Explaining Strategic Decisions and Leader Behaviors," which is forthcoming in the journal Academy of Management Review, analyzes how the level of difficulty faced by executives influences their actions and performance. The study suggests that the varying levels of demand facing top executives is determined by three factors: task challenges, performance challenges and executive aspirations. Combined, these factors make the work of executives more (or less) difficult and result in a variety of consequences or behaviors with the potential to negatively impact the organization.

Each year, controversies can arise in a school district pitting the administration against individual parents and students over such issues as the handling of learning disabilities, textbooks thought morally subversive or the wearing of religious symbols. With these scenarios, advocates for students and parents can achieve their best results in dealings with school districts if they first agree on non-negotiable core values, then compromise on issues marked by a difference in values, according to a Penn State study. Negotiating in a spirit of give-and-take, and with a commitment to dialogue, is at the heart of the democratic process, said Paul T. Begley, professor of education. That process starts with determining social values shared by both parties, such as the right of every student to have a quality education and the right of every classroom teacher to manage his or her class without fear of constant disruption. Another social value gaining in respectability is that not one size fits all for every student.