Reviews literature on cognitive outcomes of service learning with an emphasis on how convincing the results are to faculty. Explores how self-report measures produce the most consistent positive findings yet are one of the least persuasive measures; other measures based in the cognitive sciences, such as problem-solving protocols, show promise but…

Three experiments investigated the developmental progression of reliance on object function versus object shape to extend novel words among 3- and 5-year olds and adults. Findings indicated that children focused on shape, whereas adults focused on function when extending novel words, suggesting a developmental change in the consideration of these…

A recently developed test of basic Piagetian abilities, the Colored Blocks Test, is described, and new data collected in rural Hawaii and in a working class Chicago suburb are used to defend its validity as a tool for cross-cultural measurement of cognitive development. (Author/AM)

This study describes the developmental function and cross-age pattern of individual differences in mental test behavior during the first 5 years of life. Accompanying the study are brief commentaries by Ina C. Uzgiris and Earl S. Schaefer and a reply by the authors. (JMB)

An experiment was conducted to confirm that egocentrism demonstrated in Piaget's 'three mountain' experiment was more a function of experimental design than of children's thought. (Author)

A hierarchical factor solution was obtained from a psychometrized battery of Piagetian-type tasks individually administered to 660 kindergarten children. The first two levels of factors included Piagetian theoretical entities. A third level factor was identified as a g. The association of Piagetian tasks with academic achievement was through the g…

The authors caution that in neglecting to focus on cognitive training, special education may be denying the very ideology on which it is built. (Author)

A brief review of these tests is provided, and it is concluded that the procedures possess a number of characteristics that make the evaluation of change in intelligence a tenuous proposition. (Author)

Reviews the literature pertaining to spatial perspective-taking and attempts to account for the inconsistent findings in this area of research by examining the methodological differences between studies. (Author/SS)

Vygotskian theory suggests that maturation and learning are not mutually exclusive; rather together they constitute development and are thus dependent on each other and interactive. The concept of the zone of proximal development involves determining two developmental levels of mental functions for each learner--the actual and the potential…

The brain sciences and education is the topic for this yearbook volume, which is divided into five parts. Part one consists of an introduction to the brain sciences that is a primer on the neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, and neurophysiology of the brain. Part two contains chapters on some of the basic processes of the brain: attention, cognition,…

Witkin's concepts of field dependence-independence and restructing are discussed with reference to studies in Russia and in the Netherlands. These concepts are related to differences in style of perception and to success on both cognitive tasks and social tasks. It is suggested that restructing abilities may be trained and restructing ability may…

Twenty second grade students were tested to determine the possible relationships between concrete operations and reading and between cognitive clarity and reading achievement. The subjects performed six Piagetian conservation tasks and four tasks on cognitive clarity. Reading achievement was based on student records. The data on the relationship…

Two experiments compared the cognitive maps (mental representations of the spatial environment) of first graders, fifth graders and college students, and investigated developmental changes in the ability to manipulate cognitive maps mentally. In the first experiment, subjects were asked to move from stationpoint to stationpoint and at each, to…