ERIC Number: ED144674
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1976-Apr
Pages: 15
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
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Available Date: N/A
Group Size as a Determinant of Preschool Children's Frequency of Asking Questions.
Endsley, Richard C.; Gupta, Sadhana
This study presents an evaluation of the effect of group size on the frequency with which young children ask questions. Subjects for the study were 32 preschool children (16 boys, 16 girls) ranging in age from 3.1 to 6.2 years. The children were divided into two non-overlapping age groups with mean ages of 3.6 and 5.2 years respectively. Each child participated in three experimental sessions during the same day: once alone, once with one same-sex peer and once with three same-sex peers. During each session, the children were given a set of three-dimensional objects (containing, for example, a fishing reel, desk sorter, lantern bottom, preserved frog in a bottle and a miniature metal chair and were invited to "take them out, play with them, and ask any questions about them if you like." The number of questions asked was obtained from videotapes of the sessions made in an adjoining screened observation booth. Results indicated that the frequency of questions asked per child was negatively related to group size, although two children as a group generated more questions than did children tested in groups of four or alone. Despite variations in group size and materials, the frequency of questions was correlated across sessions. No significant correlations were found between the number of questions asked and age or sex. (BD)
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
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Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A