MIDDLE-CLASS, FIRST-GRADE STUDENTS (100) WERE TESTED INDIVIDUALLY ON 4 ITEMS OF CONCEPT OF ADDITION AND CONSERVATION OF NUMBER. THE TEST ITEMS WERE IDENTICAL EXCEPT FOR THE NUMBER OF OBJECTS INVOLVED. FOR EACH ITEM, TWO PILES OF CANDY WERE PLACED BEFORE EACH CHILD AND THEN MOVED TOGETHER. THE STUDY SHOWED NO MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN THE MEAN PERFORMANCES OF THE CHILDREN AMONG SCHOOLS, SEXES, AND ITEMS. THESE FINDINGS WERE COMPARED TO THE SUBJECTS' SCORES ON A CONVENTIONAL PAPER-AND-PENCIL ADDITION TEST. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE SUBJECTS HAD NOT ABSTRACTED THE CONCEPT OF THE SUM OF TWO WHOLE NUMBERS FROM PHYSICAL SITUATIONS, BUT HAD SIMPLY MEMORIZED THE ADDITION COMBINATIONS (FACTS). FURTHER STUDIES WERE SUGGESTED TO DETERMINE IF THESE CONCLUSIONS WOULD BE OPERATIVE ACROSS THE CONTINUUM OF CULTURAL LEVELS. (GD)