There is a change in false belief task performance across the 3-5 year age range, as confirmed in a recent meta-analysis [Wellman, H. M., Cross, D., & Watson, J. (2001). Meta-analysis of theory mind development: The truth about false-belief. "Child Development," 72, 655-684]. This meta-analysis identified several performance factors influencing…

In the May 2001 issue of "Educational Researcher," Michael Glassman proposed several commonalities in the thinking of John Dewey and Lev Vygotsky. However, in addition to general problems in the article (misstatements about scholars' writings and a reliance on unsupported inferences), the discussion misconstrues major concepts and topics addressed…

This study, which is a partial replication and validation of the 1962 Laurendeau and Pinard study of causal thinking, investigates cross-cultural differences among three age levels of Canadian and American school children in the development of causal thinking. Also studied is the relationship between level of development of causal thinking and…

A total of 270 children from 3 ethnic groups were tested for understanding of concepts of heating and cooling. A strong horizontal decalage effect was seen, with children of all ethnic groups using more sophisticated explanations at earlier ages for heating than cooling. Implications for developmental theory are discussed. (SLD)

Territorial decentration is a question of major significance to geographic educators. This paper reports the findings of a research project designed to determine the territorial decentration of an American sample of children. The primary purpose of the research was to determine if Piaget's territorial decentration stages are appropriate for…

Cultural, ecological, and educational variables in relation to magical thinking, perceptual flexibility, and logical reasoning seem to be crucial in development of children's judgments and explanations in conservation tasks. (Author)

This study examined the Piagetian developmental stages and order of the conservation concepts (area and distance) and the concept of horizontality in the coordinate reference systems. Subjects were 240 children, 60 randomly selected from each of grades one, three, five, seven, in three primary schools located in rural, suburban, and open terrain…

Based on a two-tiered epistemological model (preliminary physical concepts and emerging mathematical concepts), studied the construction of number among 91 kindergarten students in France, Canada, and the United States. Subjects' cognitive numerical structures were surprisingly similar despite differences in language and culture. (SV)

After reviewsing the literature relative to culture and cognition, an hypothetical model was developed to explain some aspects of concept learning and cognitive development. To test aspects of the model, 3 tests which had had prior use in cross-cultural studies and 5 original tests were administered individually to 34 Stoney Indian and 34…

This paper has attempted to outline some basic aspects of Piaget's theory and place them in cross-cultural perspective. Several questions concerning approaches and the relevance of cross-cultural research for classification of Piagetian theory were discussed: (1) What types of questions within Piagetian theory are amenable to cross-cultural…

Most of the seven articles in this collection present research on the social development of young children. Specifically, "Issues in Socio-Emotional Development " (Kazuo Mikyake, Joseph Campos, and Jerome Kagan) and "Japanese vs. United States Comparison of Mother-Infant Interaction and Infant Development: A Review" (Shing-jen…

This study attempts to reinforce developmental theory concerning spatial Comprehension by building on the qualitative observations of art educators of the past, and by strengthening the empirical basis of contemporary investigations into the relationship between pictorial representations, intellectual maturity, and environmental stimulation.…

A research project of environmental learning in children is discussed. Most of the studies conducted during the research involved observation of children aged 3-12, in mapping and free environmental behavior, and in curricular experiments using perceptual surrogates for map-learning and macro-environmental conceptualization in the lower elementary…