Explores cultural institutions as educative environments for adult lives and situations for cognitive apprenticeship. Suggests ways that cultural institutions can be subject to the designs of reflective educators. (JOW)

Children between 7 and 13 years of age were presented with scenarios for which they predicted a result derived from 2 or 3 interacting variables. The effect of the interaction of variables was observed for all ages in familiar scenarios, but the effect diminished in scenarios of unfamiliar activity. (BC)

An instructional design model defining instruction as creation of a learning environment that supports learners' construction of knowledge was tested with 32 learners. Findings suggested that the learning environment was effective in supporting learners' construction of complex knowledge structures. (SK)

Investigated genetic change and continuity within the domains of temperament, emotion, and cognition and language for 200 pairs of twins assessed at 14 and 20 months of age. Correlations of measures at the two ages indicated that individual differences in the second year of life showed greater change than continuity on most measures. (MDM)

Examines three aspects of computer technology that allow learners to develop cognitive and metacognitive skills and that facilitate learner autonomy: database organization in a self-access facility, computer-assisted language learning, and the use of menus to organize programs and files. An argument is made that technology should neither control…

Asked 30 children aged 4 years and 30 children aged 6 years to explain what they found funny in 2 humorous pictures. Results indicated that the older children explained humor differently than the younger children and that boys recognized the humor of the visual images more easily than did girls. (MDM)

Controlling for early sensorimotor differences, found that high levels of distress and anger expressed by children at age three months predicted low cognitive scores at four years. Controlling for early emotional and sensorimotor differences, found that high levels of maternal responsiveness in the same group of children predicted high cognitive…

Two studies examined the relationship between cognitive rigidity and cognitive inertia, with a total of 52 children and adults with mental retardation and 50 nonretarded individuals. Findings provide some support for the theory that there are age-related inherent structural differences leading to greater rigidity in older adults. (DB)

Comments on Lewis's ideas about reconciling stage and specificity in neo-Piagetian theory in this issue. Focuses on whether general stages, domain specificity, and individual diversity are compatible from a nonlinear, dynamic perspective. Suggests that, by using catastrophe theory, intra- and interindividual diversity and domain specificity can be…

Retrospective analyses were conducted on a remainder population of 361 individuals with mental retardation at a rehabilitation institute. One-third of the clients appeared to be gaining from the institute's programs. Programs dealing with daily living and more conceptual material appeared to be more effective than vocational programs. (Author/DB)

Examined temporal structure of free toy play by five year olds. Findings showed that the engagement of children's attention was initially fragile; became more fragile for a period of about 12 seconds into toy play episodes; and then grew stronger. (SH)

Examines the shared cognitive dimensions of cultural institutions like museums, libraries, and parks, suggesting they make similar situations for transmitting information. The article encourages a critical understanding of public cultural institutions to enlarge the potential for discourse about their analysis and criticism. Heuristic questions…

Reviews some of the major cognitive, social, and emotional achievements of young children and discusses some of their limitations. Divides description of development into intellectual, language, social, and emotional development. Notes that this division represents adult categories of thought and does not represent young children's actual modes of…

This response to Fey (EC 604 058) reviews recent advances in phonological theories, including autosegmental, metrical, and lexical phonology, and their potential applications. A new theory of developmental change that is also cognitive in orientation is presented, along with some suggestions for clinical applications. (DB)

Reviews research on quantitative and qualitative indexes of play, and relationships between play and language. Finds consistent relationships between duration and level of play throughout early development, and parallel developments in play and language. Indicates that measures of spontaneous activity and habituation in infancy predict…