Examines the epistemological bases of general education, arguing that current curricular models generate a static, absolutist vision of knowledge. Advocates a curriculum based on the processes of knowing and of learning skills and concepts--across all domains and disciplines--rather than on the knowledge base itself. (DMM)

The results of four studies involving three to seven year olds revealed that, by age three, some children (1) appreciated conservation of matter despite visual disappearance and the existence of invisible particles; and (2) made use of the particle concept to explain how a particle can continue to exist and maintain its properties despite visual…

In one experiment, most four to eight year olds overattributed knowledge to a preverbal baby who heard an informative message. In a second experiment, six and eight year olds acknowledged differences in babies' and adults' interpretations of a message that was not obviously informative. (BC)

Scottish further education lecturers trained 51 students in thinking skills using the Vygotsky-Leontiev-Luria activity theory. After 13 weeks, experimentals' test scores were better than those of 41 controls, but numbers were less than significant, possibly because of students' and teachers' negative beliefs and assumptions about their ability and…

In one task, preschoolers pretended to use common objects. Three- and four-year olds used gestures in which body parts represented the objects. Five-year olds used gestures that involved imaginary objects. In a second task, preschoolers were asked to imitate gestures modeled by the experimenter. Three-year olds could not imitate imaginary object…

In three experiments, children were asked whether animals, plants, and artifacts that had been damaged could heal through regrowth and whether a person could mend them. Four-year olds realized that both animals and plants could regrow and that artifacts had to be fixed by humans. Three-year olds were less knowledgeable than four-year olds. (MDM)

This study investigated the role of semantic analyzability in children's understanding of idioms with 80 children (kindergarten and grades 1, 3, and 4). Idioms varied in the degree that the meanings of their parts contributed to their figurative meanings. Findings indicated age differences with younger children better understanding the…

Examined a theoretical interpretation of recall as a system in which the influences of memory strength, episodic activation, and output interference must be balanced to maximize recall. Children never recalled stronger words before weaker words. As learning progressed, a weaker-stronger-weaker ordering of recalled words emerged. (BC)

Examined whether active participation in the setup of a trick significantly affected the performance of young (mean 40 months) and old (mean 45 months) 3-year olds on questions concerning individuals' ignorance of and false beliefs about a situation. Results suggest that even young 3-year olds have the ability to understand false mental states.…

Three experiments explored determinants of two-year olds' perseverative errors in a search task. Found that active search, even in the absence of observation, produced perseveration on post-switch trails, but mere observation did not. Results indicated that active search is required to elicit perseveration, which points to failures of response…

Compared interstimulus interval (ISI) eye movements of 3-month-olds viewing an alternating picture sequence with those of infants viewing an irregular sequence. Found that all infants exhibited shifts during ISIs. Repetitive saccades declined while alternating and anticipatory saccades increased in alternating sequences. ISI shift frequency did…

Examined whether developmental differences exist in availability of inferences during listening comprehension. Presented child and adult subjects with consistent and inconsistent passages to determine outcome of expected and unexpected messages on memory. Found that children were more likely than adults to retain incorrect information in active…

Two studies examined the positivity bias in children of different ages. Findings indicated that children from grade two and up selected the correct cause(s) when the effect covaried with only one cause, but only at a later age when covariation with two causes was presented. Ability estimations and expectation of success were more positive in…

Two experiments studied infants' use of remembered knowledge of auditory-visual events to guide reaching and grasping. Results indicated that reaching was initiated and completed after sound cues ceased. Accurate searching depended on subjects' experience in light presentation. Results suggest that 6 1/2-month-olds can represent unseen objects and…

Investigated relationship between young children's ability to predict another observer's interpretation of an ambiguous picture and to identify the source of a misinterpretation after it had occurred. Found that six-year-olds were more likely than four- and five-year-olds to predict that a puppet would misinterpret the target-restricted view and…