This study investigates how children, who have acquired a basic speech repertoire, introduce dialogues and how they then pursue their communicative purpose in the course of interaction. The subjects were 20 kindergarten children and 20 second graders, ranging in age from 5 to 5 1/2 and from 7 to 7 1/2. The significant questions pursued were: (1)…

Investigation of the extent to which various factors were associated with observed developmental gains in developmentally-delayed young children (N=83) revealed that potential predictors of overall child progress included test score derivatives, number of assessments and home visits, mother's age, child's age at initial testing, and medical risk…

Extensive empirical research has documented the value of play for both cognitive and social development. In this collection, leading experts in play research, child development, and early childhood education examine recent policy decisions and demonstrate the importance of play in helping children learn basic literacy skills, social awareness,…

Scores on the Home Observation for Measurement of Environment (HOME), designed to reflect parental support of early cognitive and social development, were correlated with elementary school achievement five to nine years later. Results supported the predictive value of the instrument for school achievement among low-income families. (Author/DB)

Asserts that play is an important medium for young children's learning, one that contributes to the child's cognitive, physical, emotional, and social development. Discusses the qualities that distinguish play from other activities, the skills children develop from exposure to a variety of play experiences at home and in the classroom, and…

Followed from infancy to age 7 internationally adopted children placed before 6 months. Found that girls were better adjusted than boys, except in cognitive development, and that easy temperament related to higher levels of social, cognitive, and personality development and fewer behavior problems. Attachment security and maternal sensitivity…

This article discusses the interaction of infant social and cognitive development, and presents preliminary findings from a longitudinal study of infants with and without Down syndrome. Evidence suggests that the development of triadic (person-person-world) social interactions may be affected by limited information processing capacities in infants…

Presents three studies of children's ability to create and detect expressions of emotion in drawings. Compared to younger children, older children used more strategies, experimented with line and color, and were more likely to explore themes of death, aging, and illness. Includes sample drawings and statistical tables. (MJP)

Considers factors that may be involved in changes in the socialization process at puberty, and examines some central findings from the literature on pubertal changes from a socialization perspective. Pubertal maturation is expected to be accompanied with socialization problems in terms of unclear and different expectations to the developing…

A study of 33-month-old children, their mothers, and their older siblings concentrated on arguments used when 2 family members were in conflict with a third. There were some direct relationships between partners' arguments. Arguments children used with their mothers differed from those they used with their siblings. (BG)

Examined thresholds for two aspects of child care: adult-child ratio and group size. Investigated associations among different levels of these variables and with quality of care and children's social development. Findings suggest that meeting licensing standards for ratios and groups has a positive effect on ratings of the quality of care provided…

Key components of human behavioral genetics and Sandra Scarr's work of the past two decades are critically reviewed based on scholarship in animal neuropsychology and clinical and educational psychology. Scarr's opinion that interventions to enhance intellectual development are ineffectual for children from abuse- and neglect-free backgrounds is…

Used Thematic Apperception Test to assess complexity of representations of people, affect-tone of relationship paradigms, capacity for emotional investment in relationships and moral standards, and understanding of social causality. Findings from 71 second graders and fifth graders (Study 1) and from 49 ninth graders and twelfth graders (Study 2)…

Determines effects of social learning contexts (classroom, school, and administration) on 2,023 Dutch elementary students' social and cognitive outcomes. Examines differential effects of attending private or public schools for pupils' math achievement and sense of well-being at school. Indicators of cognitive and social effectiveness are mainly…