Results indicate that (1) babies have better concept of person than object as permanent, but there are important individual differences, (2) rate of person permanence development is related to infant-mother attachment, and (3) rate of person permanence development affects object permanence development. (MH)

This study examined the relationship between characteristics of mothers' talk about future events and young children's ability to contribute to naturalistic conversations about future events. Results indicated that three maternal style factors were related to 2.5- and 4-year-olds' contributions: elaborative/advanced language, general and past…

Two studies probed 3- to 6-year olds' beliefs about wishing and its efficacy. Study 1 showed that children had considerable knowledge about wishing and an age-related decrease in beliefs about its efficacy. Study 2 suggested that children reconcile beliefs in wishing efficacy with knowledge about mental/physical relations by situating them more…

In order to investigate diffusion effects within families involved in an intervention program, 80 disadvantaged children were divided into four groups, three of which were made up of younger siblings of preschool children in the intervention program. In two of these three groups, the mother was also involved in the program. The fourth group was…

Examines themes evident in children's and mother's definitions of illness to determine how views of illness develop. Subjects were 264 children (ages 6 to 12-11) and their mothers. Two issues were considered: (a) patterned similarity in illness definitions, and (b) developmental changes in illness concepts. (ED)

Two studies explored how mothers and preschoolers talk and reason about events in which biological and nonbiological objects change in size. Analysis of conversations indicated that although mothers discussed events primarily in domain-specific ways when using the term growth, they exhibited some domain blurring in explanations to preschoolers.…

Explored the role of folktales of deception in developing 3- and 4-year-olds' theory of mind. Found that the story's deceptions elicit discussions that change over successive readings as the child shows increasing comprehension of the deceptions and decreasing need of parental support. Parent's and child's gender influenced frequency and…

Several sets of evidence are offered to support the hypothesis that cognitive and social development are intimately interrelated, and that mother-infant interaction influences both. A mother's prompt responsiveness to her baby's signals tends to foster the development of varied and clear modes of communication and thus the development of one facet…

Analyzes the nature of the concepts shared and the manner in which they develop within the shared reading of five parent-child dyads. (FL)

Reviews selected research on children's early formation of categories. Finds sophistication in how children group objects and think about those groupings. Notes findings related to type of grouping (thematic or taxonomic), multiple classifications, overgeneralization, the role of background knowledge on classification abilities, the…

Invaluable for anyone looking to understand young children's thinking, this essential textbook helpfully combines introductions to theories about thinking with observations from real-life practice. The book explores underlying theories behind topics such as: (1) the relationship between nature and nurture; (2) models of cognitive development, with…

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…

Israel's Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters, a nationally administered home-based program of early childhood education, is discussed in this book. In addition to presenting information regarding the social conditions that necessitated development of the program, this book describes the theory and planning behind the program, its…

The range of meanings of "big" and "little" that mothers and their three children under age two expressed in relatively natural communication situations was studied. Longitudinal data from transcripts of conversations of middle-class mothers and their children were analyzed along with diary records kept by parents of their children's use of size…

The proceedings of the University Affiliated Program's Second Special Interdisciplinary Seminar, concerning Piagetian theory, are presented. The opening session dealt with the question "Can Piaget's Theory Provide a Better Psychometry?", C. E. Meyers, speaker. Among the papers reprinted in the proceedings from the afternoon program of…