A developmental model of mental activity is proposed, describing central processing skills that are metaphorical in nature. This metaphorical thinking, in which semantic fields and knowledge domains are juxtaposed to enable individuals to perceive similarities between prior knowledge and unfamiliar situations, enables individuals to develop toward…

In a visual recognition masking experiment, a target stimulus to be identified is either preceded or followed by a second stimulus called a masking stimulus. The experiments described here provide estimates of both developmental and aging differences in visual backward masking under conditions which maximize interference in the central visual…

Intended for teachers and others interested in exploring and cultivating the processes of mental imagery, this annotated bibliography includes citations from scholarly journals, popular magazines, doctoral dissertations, works on learning disabilities, and how-to books. The following topics are included among the entries listed in the paper: (1)…

Medical research during the last 20 years, especially that attempting to help patients with diseased or damaged brains, has produced new findings on hemispheric differences, memory, and language production. Four authorities comment briefly on the implications of this research for education. (Author/MLF)

Freedom is subject to a variety of conceptions in life because people think of it from where they are in life. Psychological literature contains a great deal about freedom but it is almost always found under the rubric of freedom versus determinism. This study examined the concepts of freedom in subjects (N=450) who ranged in age from 7 to 21…

This book presents results of recent research about the mind, brain, and learning processes. It examines new findings in learning theory and their implications for what is taught, how it is taught, and how learners are assessed. It also shows how theories and insights can translate into actions and practices. It examines research on human…

The hierarchical structure of the formal operational period of Piaget's theory of cognitive development was explored through the application of ordering theoretical methods to a set of data that systematically utilized the various formal operational schemes. Results suggested a common structure underlying task performance. (Author/BH)

Reviews "On Claims That Answer the Wrong Questions" (James Greeno, 1997) that argues differences between situative and cognitive views of learning are more conceptual than empirical and suggests a need for something greater than empirical evidence to assess the relative worth between these competing perspectives. Additionally reviewed is…

Argues the differences between situative and cognitive views of learning, as proposed by J. R. Anderson et al. (1996), are more conceptual than empirical. It clarifies these differences by inferring questions to which the Anderson discussion provided answers, identifies presuppositions of those questions, and states the different presuppositions…

Argues that the cognitive methodology has delivered real educational applications in a way that the situative methodology has not, and fundamentally can not, and suggests these two approaches should be judged by their abilities to improve education. It addresses each of J. G. Greeno's (1997) criticisms of the situative perspective and argues…

Describes the process of active learning--consolidation and internalization of information that is personally meaningful and conceptually coherent. Discusses downshifting (a self-protective response that includes reversion to routine behaviors) and the educational practices and conditions that lead to it or reduce it. Describes 12 principles of…

Focuses on the attainment of the decision-making skills necessary for successful growth and development in today's technological world. A specific decision-making model is presented with guidelines for providing suitable experiences for students. (Author)

Discusses three educational ideas, demonstrating their incompatibility: (1) a focus on socialization; (2) Plato's notion that education is the process of seeking truth about reality; and (3) Jean-Jacques Rousseau's idea that the mind undergoes a developmental process and education furthers its development. Argues that education is learning to use…

This book examines how nonnative speakers develop pragmatic ability in a nonprimary language, focusing on acquisitional processes, conditions, and sequential patterns. Nine chapters discuss the following: (1) "Introduction to Second Language Pragmatic Development"; (2) "Theories of Second Language Pragmatic Development" (e.g., the acculturation…

Three experiments focused on the function relating children's response time to adults' response time in corresponding conditions. In all experiments, children's response times increased in a linear manner as a function of adults' response times. (BB)