Piaget's developmental theory is discussed and several research findings that involve Piaget's theories are reported. The understanding of reasoning patterns is presented as a means for the science teacher to identify the conceptual emphasis and demands of the subject matter and to help students develop more advanced reasoning patterns than they…

Through the meaningful interpretation of sensory data and a background in language experiences, an individual can build more effective knowledge structures. With more effective knowledge structures, one can react more discriminatingly to the written and printed word. Sound knowledge structures involve not only the ability to organize and…

The author reviews findings in perception, cognition, psycholinguistics, and motivation, concentrating on the development of these processes in the nonreading and beginning reading child rather than in the mature processes of a skilled reader. She offers the following conclusions: (1) Research in perception suggests that there are developmental…

One hundred and sixty-two subjects of three age levels were tested to examine the relationship between crystallized and fluid abilities and three problem solving tasks varying in the abstractness/concreteness of their stimuli and emphasis on past experience. These dimensions have been used by Davis to distinguish between Type "O" and Type "C"…

Discusses and refutes Novak's arguments against Piaget's theory of intellectual development in favor of Ausubel's theory of meaningful verbal learning. (GA)

This paper reviews a curriculum program that was focused on promoting intellectual and ethical development in college students. It considers it in a historical and philosophical framework, then describes a research study based on the original program. Paper presented at the American Psychological Association Convention, Chicago, 1975. (Author/BP)

This paper presents data to demonstrate that there is a construct of intellectual development, and that it can be measured cross-sectionally, through analysis of religious content. Three different studies, in which subjects responded to religious statements, are described. Paper presented at Chicago 1975 Convention of the American Psychological…

How a child answers questions provides information about how he or she processes input. A child's early responses to questions at age one year, three months, were compared to her responses at one year, seven months, when she was in the two-word stage. (SW)

Twelve one-word-stage children were given minimally contrasting two-word instructions. Since non-linguistic cues were eliminated, comprehension involved making non-syntactic inferences from the word combinations. The children could respond correctly to some of the instructions, and even carried out some unfamiliar activities. (Author/SW)

This study explored the relationship between symbolic representation in dramatic play and art and cognitive and reading readiness levels of kindergarten children. Results indicated children at different cognitive levels performed significantly differently on the Metropolitan Reading Readiness Test and spent significantly different amounts of time…

Used Knefelkamp's and Slepitza's (1976) model of career-related intellectual development to investigate how students at different levels of development think as they interact with a computer-assisted career guidance system, DISCOVER II, which comprises modules on understanding interests, values, and abilities; searching for occupations based on…

An increase in the cognitive restructuring aspect of field-independence was found to be associated with an increase in formal operational thought in 11- to 12-year-olds who were given materials designed to achieve this result. Materials used (including computer programs) are described in an appendix. (JN)