Argues that it is not enough for children to distinguish right from wrong, they must develop a commitment to acting on their ideals. Examines the six stages of moral development. (CCM)

Investigated developmental change in duration of auditory sensory memory for tonal frequency by measuring mismatch negativity, an electrophysiological component of the auditory event-related potential that is relatively insensitive to attention and does not require a behavioral response. Findings among children and adults suggest that there are…

Maintains that the results of Wellman, Cross, and Watson's meta-analysis on the false belief task are perfectly compatible with "early competence" accounts that posit a specific, innate, and possibly modular basis for theory of mind. Asserts that Wellman and colleagues' arguments against such views stem from mistaken assumptions…

Discusses the value of toys as tools to aid children's development within Montessori education. Presents a history of toys from ancient civilizations to modern corporations. Discusses the role of toys in cognitive development, their importance in providing an enriched environment for children's play time, and the relationship between work and play…

The functional maturity of the newborn infant's brain, the resemblances between neonatal imitation and imitation in adults and the possibly lateralized neonatal imitation suggest that the mirror neuron system may contribute to neonatal imitation. Newborn infants not only imitate but also initiate previously imitated gestures, and are able to…

As the study of peer relations has grown and developed, it has gained a prominent position in the understanding of developmental process and psychopathology. During its development, research in peer relations has moved from a more undifferentiated, global state to a state of increased articulation and complexity. This introductory essay attempts…

CHARGE syndrome includes characteristics of six different disabling conditions, each of which has the potential for significant influence on a child's growth and development. The initials of those conditions form the acronym CHARGE. The conditions are described in this article, along with causes and diagnosis.

This study compared the developmental outcomes of twin boys (one who is blind and one who is sighted) who were born prematurely and diagnosed with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) at age 24 months. The results indicate a disparity in the developmental outcomes of the twins. Although the medical risk factors that are associated with TTTS…

Looking back, the author sees that she misjudged how one becomes an educational expert. She thought it had something to do with thoughtful experience, deep thinking, reflective practice, and the study of theory and research. And maybe there was a time when that was true. But today it seems that the less one has studied education, the less one has…

Most autism has a genetic cause although post-encephalitis cases are reported. In a case-series (N = 20) from Tanzania, 14 met research criteria for autism. Three (M:F = 1:2) had normal development to age 22, 35, and 42 months, with onset of autism upon recovery from severe malaria, attended by prolonged high fever, convulsions, and in one case…

Playwork is a respected field of study composed of experts who have studied the theories and practices of play for the purposes of training other individuals in best practices to better facilitate children's play. The profession is founded on the belief that play is an essential childhood element and the right of every child. In this article, the…

In 4 studies, 7.5-month-olds used synchronized visua-lauditory correlations to separate a target speech stream when a distractor passage was presented at equal loudness. Infants succeeded in a segmentation task (using the head-turn preference procedure with video familiarization) when a video of the talker's face was synchronized with the target…

Children more frequently specified possibilities correctly when uncertainty resided in the physical world (physical uncertainty) than in their own perspective of ignorance (epistemic uncertainty). In Experiment 1 (N=61), 4- to 6-year-olds marked both doors from which a block might emerge when the outcome was undetermined, but a single door when…

In this paper, the author suggests ways to help beginning teachers understand their students without relying solely on the questionable assumptions of developmental theories. She recommends that beginning teachers construct knowledge based upon their personal experiences with children, and develop interpretations in collaboration with others as…

Nonsocial play continues to be perceived as a behavior that is detrimental young children's development. The research evidence in this area is mixed but lends itself to a more positive view of nonsocial play. Despite the substantial amount of literature available, the terminology used fails to be consistent and may prove to be distracting and…