This study examined the relationship between cognitive style and information processing in preschoolers, and described developmental changes in their performance on a central-incidental learning task. Sixty preschoolers, in two age groups (mean ages of 4-1 and 4-11), were administered tests of reflection-impulsivity, field dependence-independence,…

Abstracts and abstractors' critiques are presented for six studies dealing with concept formation and misconceptions and for five studies dealing with cognitive development. The first six studies investigated: children's naive conceptions of the human body; students' understanding (or misunderstanding) of states of matter and density changes; the…

The study with noninstitutionalized organic and familial mentally retarded and borderline mentally retarded children (N=79) at 2 chronological age levels (mean ages 7 and 10) found no age differences in imitation behaviors in the organic low IQ group and more absolute imitation and recall behaviors in familial low IQ children. (Author/DB)

Previous research in classification preference has focused on only a few selected age groups. To investigate the classification preferences of individuals from early childhood through old age in the same study, 144 individuals between the ages of 4 and 70 completed a revised version of the Conceptual Styles Test. Analysis of results showed that…

Administered The Matching Familiar Figures Test to 45 seven- and eight-year-olds to assess the relationship between cognitive style and temperamental variables such as distractibility, persistence, and mood. (HOD)

A group of 16 infants (ages 6 to 24 months) with Down's Syndrome (DS) were exposed to two operant learning tasks varying in control of reinforcement. Comparison with chronological and developmental age matched controls found DS subjects characterized by increasing adoption of counterproductive learning behaviors with increasing age. (Author/DB)

Concerned with a high failure rate in computer programming courses, two studies were undertaken to discover if two individual cognitive styles--"analytic" (formal thought) and "heuristic" (concrete or pre-operational thought)--were predictors of performance in a beginning computer programming course. To appropriately measure…

This study investigated the propositions that (1) the expressed preference for formal-deductive style of thinking and mathematics anxiety are negatively correlated; (2) the preferred cognitive style is positively correlated with the respondent's self-assessment of mathematical ability; and (3) those expressing a preference for the analyst style of…

Investigates the influence of five cognitive variables on high school students' performance on balancing chemical equations by inspection. Reports that reasoning, restructuring, and disembedding variables could be a single variable, and that working memory capacity does not influence overall performance. Results of hierarchical regression analysis…

Considers the role that students' approaches to learning play in summarizing text and learning from summarization. Discusses studies of two forms of summarization, one with the text available and one with the text removed after reading but before summarization. Reports that text-absent summarization facilitates deeper processing for students who…

This overview reviews a program of interlinked cross-sectional and longitudinal investigations of the nature of cognitive development in infants and young children with Down's Syndrome. The research falls into three groupings: object concept studies, operant learning experiments, and IQ studies. Early results suggest a common learning style which…

Learning style is a composite of those elements that serve as a relatively stable indicator of how a learner perceives, interacts with, and responds to the learning environment. This paper presents quantitative data related to learning styles and qualitative data related to learning environments which could suggest changes in biology courses and…

Describes a computer program under development that is to be used as a tool for theory builders, teachers, and students in language learning. This is an interactive program and not only helps the learning of a language but also provides analysis on how language is learned. Questions if computers learn. (GG)

A mapping procedure based on the SOLO Taxonomy developmental model was used to classify the problem-solving strategies of students (n=34) in grades K-2. Only one multiplication problem was used to isolate three components of the problem-solving procedure. (MDH)

Proposes an approach to school laboratory experiences which leads to gradual acquisition of inquiry skills based on the idea of advance organizers. Presents a design which is context familiar and can serve as an introduction to scientific inquiry. Discusses student achievement, and teacher and student attitudes. (CW)