Noting research indicating that the flow of interaction with infants influences their brain development, this viewer's guide and videotape examine characteristics of early brain development and how parents can positively affect the infant's development in a number of areas. The first part of the viewer's guide provides an overview of the…

This document examines the use of measurement tools to evaluate children's psychological development. The first part of the document discusses the identification and quantification of developmental landmarks and the reasons for evaluation. The second part reviews several evaluation instruments. The Ruth Griffiths mental development scales are used…

This paper discusses factors that relate to the development of children's theory of mind. Cognitive and biosocial views of the development of theory of mind are distinquished. The paper maintains that all cultures recognize the intentional personhood of children in the first two years, though they vary in their methods of dealing with this…

Mathematical concepts presented within disciplines outside mathematics are either assumed to be already familiar to the students, or else, they are regarded as being peripheral to the appreciation of the content of the nonmathematical lesson. Because it is routinely included without regard for possible students' interpretations, the mathematical…

A total of 48 Canadian, middle-class 3-year-olds participated in a study of their abilities to predict the actions of a story character with a false belief and a story character engaged in pretence. In the experimental situation, a red puppet with pen-markers for legs left an "inky trail" to the location of a hidden treasure in one of…

Piaget noted that young children cannot think in a logical fashion, objectively, or about hypothetical situations. These limitations of preoperational thinking render the young child dependent upon or bound by perceptions. Overreliance upon perceptions results in children's inability to distinguish fantasy from reality. Young children's…

A longitudinal study of mental development during the first 6 years of life was conducted to determine whether different social and biological variables were related to mental development at different ages. A total of 218 children having complete neonatal records of 12 biological variables were studied at 6-month intervals until the children were…

The study compared differences and similarities between WISC and WISC-R scores for 48 ten- and thirteen-year-old educable mentally retarded students, who were matched according to sex and race. Results suggest that many children classified as "Borderline" or slightly above the WISC will be classified as "Mentally Deficient" by…

Stresses the importance of learner involvement, and adult patience and understanding, for a child's success in learning and consequently in living. (EB)

Contains a discussion of: comparison of the concept of political literacy developed by Crick and Lister, role of a psychology of political education, outline and comparison of cognitive developmental approaches, and implications for political education and research suggestions. (ND)

The inclusion of group activities based on theories of cognitive development within day care settings is urged. Several examples of classroom-tested activities are included. (ED)

Through this feature the Journal seeks to provide brief accounts of significant current innovation and research in Australia. Topics covered included administration, curriculum and objectives, teaching and learning, measurement and research methodology, student development and personnel services, social context of education, and history.…

Describes a study that indicates children originating from families in which low intelligence, poor school achievement and social inadequacy are prevalent, tend to follow the same pattern. Indicates that direct changes in life circumstances in the formative years can have an effect on subsequent achievements of the child. (GS)

High school students in South Australia were administered in group fashion the pendulum and the chemical color change developmental tasks. The major conclusion of this study is the fact that it is possible to translate into group form, administer, and assess rapidly and with considerable reliability Piagetian problem indicators of developmental…