Change in cognitive functioning is an important aspect of human aging and a key outcome in many medical conditions. However, cognitive change can rarely be measured directly, since prior cognitive data do not exist for most people. We examined the criterion validity and one-year stability of the difference between National Adult Reading Test…

Inagaki and Hatano (2002) have argued that young children initially understand biological phenomena in terms of vitalism, a mode of construal in which "life" or "life-force" is the central causal-explanatory concept. This study investigated the development of vitalistic reasoning in young children's concepts of life, the human body and death.…

This 1990 study of 165 undergraduates considered the application of cognitive development theory to social justice education. The table of contents presents the following sections: (1) "Why apply cognitive development theory to social justice education?" (2) "What is cognitive development?" (3) "Setting the background and context for the study";…

A new concept, relativistic operations, seems to provide a link between Piagetian theory, information processing theory, logical thought in the new physics, and the nature of adults' problem solving in everyday social situations. Relativistic operations are logical, cognitive operations which can be used as a system to relate, order, and select as…

The decision making processes of children in a probabilistic environment were studied within the context of the theory of signal detection (TSD). The relationship between the age of the child and his ability to revise decision criteria was examined, as well as the appropriateness of TSD measures and methodology with children. It was hypothesized…

Over a decade of research findings representing the work of more than 100 scholars are contained in the growing body of knowledge about effective schools. This report summarizes the results of studies that focus specifically on the characteristics of effective principals, classrooms, and teachers. The report also offers notes of caution to users…

Some science educators who are interested in conceptual development have considered the phenomenon of student misconceptions and alternative frameworks. Researchers have used a variety of terms to describe the situation in which students' ideas differ from those of a scientist about a particular concept. This digest was produced to briefly…

The development of social cognitions about classroom life and their potential influence on children's classroom behavior were studied. Each of 360 first and fifth grade children from schools in middle class and working class neighborhoods were interviewed using booklets illustrating classroom behavior. The results indicated that children do…

To discover the relationship between cognitive development and writing, a means of assessing writing is needed that reflects accurately changes in the way children write as they grow older. This may be accomplished by using Piaget's characteristics of concrete and formal operations. His framework permits general descriptions of thinking, organized…

The purpose of this study was to design a prototype written test of cognitive development based on the model of Piaget. Although the results were not consistent with Piaget's theory, test development was only partially successful. Specifically, validation of the scales was excellent or poor depending on the perspective. Analysis of the item…

This program, developed for the primary grades, was started in September 1972 with the ultimate goal being the development (sixth-grade students) of citizens knowledgeable and conscientious about environmental concerns. A cadre of specially trained teachers utilized the adapted SCIS materials with emphasis on student planning and involvement,…

Reported is an experiment undertaken to determine the extent to which analytic and global cognitive styles differed in developing or utilizing a selection type strategy in concept identification. Using the Hidden Figures Test (HFT) in five sections of an introductory psychology class, two groups of students, one analytical and one global, were…

This collection of objectives and related measures deals with one side of judgment: deductive logic and assumption recognition. They are suggestive of students' ability to make judgments based on logical analysis rather than comprehensive indices of overall capacity for judgment. They include Conditional Reasoning Index, Class Reasoning Index,…

Investigates (1) the relationships between cognitive performance and cognitive styles and predictive possibilities and (2) performance differences by sex, school, grade, and income in 92 Indian adolescents. Assessment measures included Liquid Conservation, Islands, Goat-Lion, Hanoi-Tower, Rabbits (Piagetian); Block Design (WISC-R); Paper Cutting…

Comprehensive assessment in context focuses on the processes and structures involved in subject matter competence as moderated in performance by personal and environmental influences. This article addresses in detail both the nature of developing competence and its measurement in terms of context-dependent task performance. (Author/EGS)