Previous research has shown that when learning categories, adults and young children allocate attention differently. Adults tend to attend selectively, focusing primarily on the most relevant information, whereas young children tend to distribute their attention broadly. Although selective attention is useful in many situations, it also has costs.…

Novel causal systems pose a problem of variable choice: How can a reasoner decide which variable is causally relevant? Which variable in the system should a learner manipulate to try to produce a desired, yet unfamiliar, casual outcome? In much causal reasoning research, participants learn how a particular set of preselected variables produce a…

This review is intended to point out the role played by motor skills proficiency in the academic achievement of typically and atypically developing pupils who are attending primary school. First, the interplay between motor and cognitive development will be presented. Next, the cognitive phenotype, not yet deeply investigated, of a…

The provision of reinforcement to increase desired behaviors is a crucial element of behavior analytic intervention for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Formal preference assessments, like the multiple stimulus without replacement procedure (MSWO), are often used to determine reinforcers used during intervention. While…

Today, the use of formal preference assessments, including paired-stimulus preference assessments, is widely utilized to help determine which items to use as reinforcers during intervention. A second way to determine potential reinforcers is to analyze multiple dimensions of a stimulus in the moment, a procedure known as in-the-moment reinforcer…

Why does the city of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy feature one of the best public systems of early education in the world? This book documents the comprehensive and innovative approach that utilizes the "hundred languages of children" to support their well-being and foster their intellectual development. Reggio Emilia is a fast-growing…

The intention of this article is to explore, challenge and expand our understandings of children's improvised vocalisations, a fundamentally human form of expression. Based on selected examples from observation and recording in non-institutional settings, the article outlines how this phenomenon can be understood as learning and as communication.…

One of a series of books written by physicians for their patients, this publication discusses the parents' role in helping the young child learn before formal education begins. Detailed discussions center on such subjects as teaching a child when he's ready to learn; helping a child's curiosity grow; choosing toys which encourage exploration;…

This interpretative study explored the view of how children construct knowledge as proposed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in its position paper "Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8, Expanded Edition" (DAP-DOC) (Bredekamp,…

Examining the effects of sociodramatic play and sex differences on mathematical learning and adult-observed playfulness in young children, several preliminary analyses were run of pre-test scores. Tests used were the Kindergarten Keys Mathematics Test and the Lieberman Playfulness Scale. The results of three 2(treatment) x 2(sex) analyses of…

Two studies were designed to examine the relationship between moral judgment and role-taking in young children. In Study I, 30 lower class and 30 middle class five-year-olds were presented with affective, cognitive and perceptual role-taking tasks. Task performances were then examined in relation to four dimensions of moral…

This text is a series of readings designed to introduce the student to scientific research on children. Choice of material for inclusion was based on: (1) the provision of a wide selection of the developmental literature, its origins and growth; (2) the presentation of examples of empirical research, and (3) the selection of articles representing…

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…

This study investigated incidental learning in middle and lower class black and white preschool children. The study questioned whether (a) preschool children acquire learning incidentally; (b) there was a difference in the quantity of such learning between black and white children; (c) differences in learning was influenced by socioeconomic…

Effects of gender and disagreements on learning during sociocognitive interaction were investigated with 33 pairs of children between 5 and 7 years old (34 males and 32 females) using spatial perspective-taking tasks. Disagreements during social interaction can facilitate or inhibit learning. Effects of gender pairing are discussed. (SLD)