This paper describes an assessment instrument being developed to trace the emergence of social-communication skills leading to language and the neo-Piagetian model that is directing the assessment construction efforts. The model is a structural stage model, based on the writings and research of Uzgiris (1976), McCall, Eichorn & Hogarty (1977),…

Using Quay's typology, three equal groups (n=12) of adolescent psychopathic, neurotic, and subcultural delinquent males and a matched nondelinquent control group were individually administered Kohlberg's structured moral dilemmas, two Piagetian tasks of cognitive development (pendulum and balance), and an adaption of Flavell's role-taking task.…

In this study of the development of logical propositions in children, two hypotheses were tested: (1) There will be a significant difference in the scores and proportions of students from age level to age level in the ability to supply missing elements of syllogisms, and (2) There will be a hierarchy of difficulty for all subjects in supplying…

This study examines the development of children's concepts of illness in light of Piagetian findings regarding the ontogenesis of causal relations. The Concept of Illness protocol was administered to 72 3-, 7-, and 11-year-old children; 24 from each age group. Children were interviewed individually in a school setting. Raters assigned subjects'…

This document reports data on 610 secondary level Australian high school students drawn from 36 urban and rural high schools to determine levels of Piagetian cognitive development, provide a profile of field independence (FDI) across the urban population, validate the Understanding in Science Test instrument, and determine influence of reading…

Case studies of eight hearing impaired preschool children from Spanish speaking homes were presented in this dissertation. The children and their parents were enrolled in the Trinity University Parent/Infant Program for hearing impaired infants from Spanish speaking homes. The case studies consisted of family and medical histories, audiological…

This paper reports the effects of one hour of extra post-partum contact between mother and infant on the quality of the attachment observed when the infant was one year old. It was hypothesized that infants in the extra contact condition would be classified as securely attached while regular contact infants would be less frequently classified as…

This review of research, developed in cooperation with the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, was designed to analyze and synthesize the research related to developmental psychology and its relationship to science education. The review is divided into five parts: (1) Introduction; (2) Historical Precedents of the Developmental…

Five examples from each of eight classes of auditory stimuli were presented to 65 primary grade children to determine their metalinguistic awareness. Metalinguistic awareness describes a child's ability to understand the reading register, that special terminology used to teach reading. The children were asked to identify the auditory stimuli as…

Pre-existing cognitions may influence a child's social perceptions, and the extent of this influence is measured in groups of children from grades 1-6. The children were shown slide shows of congruous (e.g. doctor befriending bullied child) and incongruous (e.g. minister shoplifting) interpersonal behavior. Half of the children saw stories in…

The cognitive/developmental theories of Jean Piaget and John Dewey assert that people learn by doing and that they grow intellectually by tackling demanding problems. It is this active, problem-solving orientation that is central to a cognitive/developmental approach to composition teaching. Six core principles can serve as guides for composition…

This document discusses the importance of acceleration vs. sophistication in mathematics programs and curricula for gifted students. The discussion proceeds through three steps. First, an attempt is made to model how various kinds of gifted students interact with three dimensions of the curriculum. These dimensions are acceleration, sophistication…

This paper describes a tentative model to assist in conceptualization of the dynamics of adult social-cognitive development based on Piaget's and Riegel's thought, gerontological studies, and dialectical theory. The proposed model possesses several qualities: (1) it derives from the concept of intelligence as an adaptive biological entity; (2) it…

THE MOST DISABLING HANDICAP OF YOUNG CHILDREN FROM DEPRIVED SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS IS THEIR DIFFICULTY IN USING LANGUAGE ABSTRACTLY. IN THIS STUDY, THEREFORE, IT WAS HYPOTHESIZED THAT IF AN EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION PROGRAM WAS LIMITED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ABSTRACT LANGUAGE, THEN NOT ONLY LANGUAGE, BUT MANY OTHER ASPECTS OF THINKING WOULD BE…

MANY STUDIES HAVE INDICATED THE PRESENCE OF A SLUMP OR INVERSION IN THE PROBLEM-SOLVING EFFICIENCY OF CHILDREN AT THE FOURTH GRADE LEVEL. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE INTERFERING EFFECT OF THE FORMATION OF COMPLEX HYPOTHESES BY THE CHILDREN. SINCE A TENDENCY TO RESPOND RAPIDLY WOULD PRESUMABLY INHIBIT THE FORMATION OF COMPLEX…