Reexamined Piagetian stages of males (N=182) and females (N=176), ages nine to eighteen, using cluster analysis, and sought information concerning occurrence of stages and influence of different tasks and gender on cluster patterns. Findings, among others, indicate that deviation from Piagetian stages was influenced by gender and type of task.…

Summarizes three experiments examining the ways that various forms of feedback influence children's progress in learning to tell time through computer-based training. The experiments compared different forms of feedback as well as delays in their presentations. Reviews related literature and includes statistical and tabular data. (MJP)

Documented interactions between parents and children as they read storybooks together. Participants were twelve 4-year-olds and their mothers. Results showed diverse storybook interactions within a static sample, discouraging the practice of generalizing findings about storybook reading to dissimilar populations. (MOK)

Videotaped 14 mother-infant dyads during book sharing to examine categories of information mothers provided when talking about the book. Found a substantial amount of discussion about the books. Mothers modeled information structures of varying levels of cognitive demand, most frequently modeling the simplest of labeling pictures, with decreasing…

Four studies examined preschoolers' use of the cue of action initiation to infer another's desired goal. Found that differences in action initiation play an increasingly important role in 3-year-olds' mentalistic explanations of action, and that this development may be related to other critical changes occurring in their developing theory of mind.…

Analyzes data from 285 African American social workers and administrators to demonstrate effect of perceptions of agency cultural sophistication on reports of psychological and work-related stress. Discusses usefulness of cultural sophistication as an explanatory variable in understanding staff perceptions of occupational and psychological stress…

Suggests explanations for derailment of the self-continuity warranting process. Maintains that although Chandler's studies used important concepts without sufficient evidence for construct validity, such use may be justified by the need to address the high Native youth suicide rate. Concludes that Chandler et al. have begun to validate a measure…

A longitudinal study investigated developmental change in theory of mind among 57 children (ages 4-14) with autism. Theory of mind tests were administered on an initial visit and one year later. Data indicated significant developmental improvement in theory of mind ability, which was primarily related to the children's language ability. (Contains…

This interview study gathered information about the prior knowledge and thinking of kindergarten to third- graders regarding the supply of water, heat, and light to modern homes. Findings indicated that students possessed only limited and spotty knowledge about utilities in modern homes. Within general trends, there was evidence of growth in…

Examines the role of playgrounds that use discarded items or "junk" as an integral part of kindergarten classes in an Israeli kibbutz. Suggests that play in the junkyard, by including the whole person--muscles and senses, emotion and intellect, individual growth and social interaction--can offer the experiential foundations on which…

Infant outcomes of substance-abusing mothers who either retained (N=44) or lost (N=23) custody of their children were compared. At six months, infants with their mothers demonstrated better cognitive development than infants with relatives; however, there were three deaths and two cases of suspected child abuse/neglect among infants with mothers,…

Focuses on the peace education movement as a manifestation of the idea that second language classes need to include more than traditionally defined language skills to teach critical thinking and reading. Argues that critical skills often include higher level cognitive skills involving a process of questioning the status quo and an orientation…

Argues that children's perceptions of the natural world are linked with imagination development and experiential learning. Describes children's learning as sensory-oriented. Advocates fostering a love of nature, arguing that access to natural places and natural play activities both encourage a connection with the earth and contribute to children's…

Researchers from four projects with a problem-solving approach to teaching and learning multidigit number concepts and operations describe a common framework of conceptual structures children construct for multidigit numbers, and categories of methods children devise for multidigit addition and subtraction. Conceptions include unitary, decade and…

Analyzes a broad range of data examining the relationship among basic skill development, behavior problems, and later negative social development. Results strongly corroborate assumptions that low levels of basic skills at an early age are not per se a precursor of later maladjustment. Includes statistical data and tables. (MJP)