Evaluates whether children have a naive theory in which biological kinds, specifically food, are distinguished by potential for decomposition. Four experiments were conducted with subjects between the ages of four and six years. Claims that children seem to have a domain-specific theory of biological kinds, although they are unaware of the exact…

Examined the judgement of rectangular areas in young children who are blind from birth. Subjects were eight children ranging from six to eight years old. Their gestural strategies were examined in detail when placed in an area evaluation situation. Results indicated that acquisition of information concerning figures appeared to follow a fairly…

Examines preschoolers' understanding of non-observable causal mechanism in causes of illness. Three studies were conducted using subjects from university child care centers. Subjects average five years of age. Results indicated that preschoolers recognize that appearances may be deceiving when it comes to judging causes of illness. Discusses…

Distinguishes the values of quantitative increments and qualitative shifts with regard to problem solving. Subjects were 136 children ranging from 6 through 8 years and were presented with the standard 3-disc problem to resolve in 3 minutes. Results indicated that qualitative shifts in children's representation of problem space are a crucial…