Focused on cardinality acquisition (thought to be crucial to correct counting) and on the relation between cardinality and counting. Gathered data with three groups of children three to five years old on four kinds of tasks. Found no empirical evidence for considering counting as a single prerequisite to cardinality. Suggests new approach to…

Addresses Courtenay's reservations about adult development models by arguing that different models evince underlying similarities; development that is not fully achieved need not imply abnormality; and more developmentally advanced adults need not be considered "more worthy." Suggests that models offer support, encouragement, and hope to…

Offers suggestions for facilitating infant play for the following age groups: birth to 4 months, 4 to 8 months, 8 to 12 months, and 12 to 18 months. Suggestions cover play materials and some activities. (KB)

Responds to a study that examined three hypotheses concerning the existence of a critical period for second language acquisition. Examines the three hypotheses and argues that the data do not provide the necessary support for the interpretation that a critical period has influenced the results. (Author/VWL)

The developmental period of adolescence is explored in Swaziland from a multidisciplinary perspective. Study compares early anthropological research with contemporary interviews of Swazi parents. While the Swazi language has no term for "adolescent," there is evidence of a definite developmental period which could be defined as…

Participants categorized at trial (n=259), stabilization (n=121), and maintenance (n=140) stages of careers completed the Multidimensional Work Ethic Profile. Trial-stage members scored higher on hard work and delayed gratification, the other two groups on morality, wasted time, and leisure dimensions, with no differences on centrality or…

Investigates the differences in spelling error features among learning disabled and normal students across four grade levels of spelling achievement. Finds support for the theory of developmental word knowledge and for the position that learning disabled and normally achieving children acquire aspects of orthography in similar progressions. (RS)

The study examined differences in the use of immediate echolalia by 18 children (ages 4-12) with autism at different stages of language development. Percentage of echolalic language was high at early stages of language development but decreased as language skills improved. (Author/DB)

Three studies examined children's learning of second labels for objects. Found that, at 24 months, subjects learned both labels equally well but had difficulty with the second label if a third word was introduced. Results suggest that, from six months on, mutual exclusivity helps children interpret novel words. (WP)

In a study of drawing development, children's and adults' drawings of cubes were classified into drawing types. Differences between children's and adults' drawings suggest that younger children use a similarity geometry with feature-based criteria, whereas older children and adults use a vantage-point geometry that includes direction-based…

Outlines relationship between crises that create stress in one's life and periods of instability in moral development. Suggests that stressful issues are more difficult to resolve during periods of developmental instability and that, when problems are most stressful, people often experience impact of stress physiologically. Reconstructs stress and…

Describes fetal development patterns within the framework of concurrent separateness from and oneness with the mother. Touches on the infant developmental stages along the way to becoming a wholly separate being. (HTH)

Focuses on the question of whether developmental improvement in performance on cognitive tasks is abrupt or continuous. Explains three model-based approaches to this question, and stresses that research conducted in these approaches has indicated that developmental improvements consist of jumps through discrete states. Concludes that these results…

Argues that efforts to limit the incidence and prevalence of suicidal behavior must be based on a multifactorial approach that considers developmental concerns in all phases of life. (HTH)

Nigrescence is the process of becoming black, of developing a racial identity. Its stages include prechange, encounter, transition, internalization, and integrative awareness. (SK)