A study of the ability of young children to discriminate among such letters as p and q, d and b, using four different methods of discrimination (matching, copying, naming, and writing to dictation). Results show that the accuracy of discrimination is dependent upon the method of assessment employed. (Author/WY)

Investigates preschool children's ability (n = 30) to discriminate age, and subject's use of different facial areas in ranking facial photographs into age order. Results indicate subjects from 3 to 9 years can successfully rank the photos. Compared with other facial features, the eye region was most important for success in the age ranking task.…

Longitudinal data gathered on 24 children at 51 months of age and at earlier ages suggest that children currently characterized as faster habituators, in terms of first fixation data, may be somewhat advanced cognitively compared to slower habituators. (Author/DB)

Examined reversal of emergent simple discriminations through stimulus contiguity. In experiment one, Baseline and Reversal phases were positive for most children. Experiments two through four examined protocol aspects that possibly contributed to successful reversal of the form discrimination; found that reversed discrimination usually was a…

Five investigations examined three- and four-year olds' conceptions of the relationship between pictures and their referents. Results indicated that preschool children have difficulty holding in mind the distinct properties of picture and real referent, just as they tend to confuse the literal and intended meanings of utterances. (TJQ)

Preschoolers learned colors more rapidly than sizes and forms when cup stimuli were used. They learned sizes and forms more rapidly than colors when face stimuli were used. (RL)

Noting that children who can easily categorize a picture in terms of what it depicts may have difficulty understanding the picture as a representation or thing in itself, four experiments with children around four years old examined their responses to pictures as things in themselves. Results showed that some children had difficulty understanding…

In a study of oddity performance, subjects were required to choose one distinct bimodal stimulus from a display that included other stimuli that did not differ from each other. Oddity performance was evaluated with both reversal assessments and assessments with new stimuli. The usefulness of bimodal training in oddity learning was demonstrated.…

Compared two procedures for establishing and reversing stimulus control transfer across simple discrimination in children. Results indicated that both procedures were more effective in establishing that, in reversing stimulus control transfer, stimulus contiguity was more effective than match-to-sample training; and both procedures were more…

Investigation indicates that perceptual inadequacy must be controlled in studies that utilize ambiguous, novel or nonsense designs in stimulus materials. (Authors)

This study measured the differential effects of simplified and typical verbal antecedents on acquisition of picture discriminations for four preschool children with autism. During baseline probes, participants emitted no correct selection responses to pictures of common stimuli during either simplified or typical verbal antecedent conditions.…

Describes a study in which preschool children, enrolled in a Head Start Program in Texas, tested computer-assisted instruction facilitating visual discrimination. The study, in which a TRS-80 Model III displayed alphabetical characters, showed that four-year-olds are able to learn simple visual discrimination tasks from a computer. (JJD)