In Brief: Jun. 4, 2001

IT'S THE SEAT BELT, STUPID The U.S. ranks behind nearly every other developed country when it comes to buckling up, according to a report by the National Safety Council. While parents are careful to strap in infants and toddlers, teens too often go unbuckled, it concluded. The council handed out grades for seat-belt use and gave 16 states a D or an F. Only California and New Mexico earned an A.

PLAYGROUND SEX ROLES In a study of kids in day care, researchers at Arizona State University found that when boys play mostly with boys and girls mostly with girls, stereotypical play patterns are reinforced: boys play more roughly and farther away from adults, while girls play closer and more calmly. This cycle tends to keep the two groups from mingling. Inevitable? Perhaps, but the researchers noted that encouraging play between boys and girls may help both enrich their learning experiences.

THE WEB ATE MY HOMEWORK The information highway is an educational godsend. But for growing numbers of college students, the lures of the Net backfire, according to a study in the Journal of Communication. Trouble arises when students become hooked on the "live" Net of instant messaging, chat rooms and gaming. Students who felt Internet use had hurt their schoolwork were logged on to the live Net 10 times as long as were their peers.

--By David Bjerklie