Adults, 9-year olds, and 5-year olds were shown horizontal and vertical lines of various sizes, presented on same wall or different walls, and asked to estimate corresponding area. Responses indicated that when width and height were separated, children gave same weight to both dimensions while adults gave greater weight to larger dimensions; when…

The arbitrary nature of growth trends in cognitive variables is illustrated. Two metrics, grade equivalent and item-response theory representations, both of which preserve the order of performance levels in test data, produced different pictures of cognitive growth, and differences were seen to arise from differences in the scaling models. (SLD)

Looks at human information processing as a complex system, concentrating on certain insights about field interactions that will reposition the understanding of mental processes, moving it from an analysis of logical steps to the exploration of the influence that contexts have on human cognitive performance. (CR)

Examination of the child prodigy phenomenon suggests it is a result of extremely accelerated mental development during sensitive periods that leads to the rapid growth of a child's cognitive resources and their construction into specific exceptional achievements. (Author/DB)

Describes a study that was conducted to examine the instructional effectiveness with which different types of job aids facilitated learner achievement of different types of learning objectives, and to identify the degree to which learners possessing different levels of prior knowledge profited from different types of job aids. (Author/LRW)

Examined deception and false-belief understanding in preschoolers following noncompliance. Found that over half of 3- and 5-year olds touched a prohibited toy during experimenter's absence and most denied it. Almost all preschoolers looked into a forbidden box, most denied it, and a minority consistently feigned ignorance of contents. False-belief…

Discusses evidence for experience-dependent reorganization of adult and developing brains, examining changes in the mature brain as a result of experience, reorganization in the developing brain, and mechanisms of change. The paper notes that there is general agreement that experience can have a profound effect on the organization of the brain.…

Although Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget are often characterized as polar opposites, they shared a similar "monological" view of the nature of reason. This paper argues that reason is essentially a dialogical phenomenon and illustrates this concept by considering pragmatic consequences of different types of language use. (65 references) MLH)

Pursues three goals: (1) to study developmental trends of cognitive functions across different age groups of Finnish students; (2) to identify distinct cognitive subgroups and profiles among students; and (3) to compare cognitive styles of normal and language-impaired (dysphasic) students. Reports and interprets findings in terms of the PASS…

Outlines a developmental model of critical thinking that is derived from contemporary research on directions and processes of intellectual development in children and adolescents. Identifies metacognitive, metastrategic, and epistemological forms of second-order cognition that enter into critical thinking. (Author/SLD)

Survey responses from 36 cognitive-development psychologists indicated that substantial theoretical advances have been made in the field in the past 50 years. Development of metatheories, theoretical integration, and linking of theory and application are major future objectives. (SK)

Presents theory that fundamental causes of cognitive change reside in the architecture of the mind. Describes mind as a three-level universe, types of changes occurring in cognitive development, and mechanisms that cause changes. Offers a general model of the nature of cognitive development and current research in cognitive development and…

Three experiments examined 3- to 6-year olds' ability to use a speaker's utterance based on false belief to identify which of several referents was intended. Found that many 4- to 5-year olds performed correctly only when it was unnecessary to consider the speaker's belief. When the speaker gave an ambiguous utterance, many 3- to 6-year olds…

Discusses the nature of explanations and the nature of models and the relationship between them. Reviews the explanatory value of major models of change in science. Models the characteristics of everyday thinking and the effect of attempts to change that thinking on scientific thinking. (Author/CCM)

Explored early-developing predictions of object motion through 6-month-old infants' head tracking and reaching for moving objects. Found evidence for infants' extrapolation of object motion on linear paths, in accord with principle of inertia. This tendency was remarkably resistant to counter-evidence, observed even after repeated presentations of…