Content and task dimensions of science items were studied using factor analytic techniques. These items were developed to measure concept attainment using a completely crossed design with 30 concepts and 12 tasks. Conventional factor analyses were performed, separately for boys and girls, for concept scores and for task scores. Three-mode factor…

A review of the research on the effects of day care shows that high-quality, center-based day care: (1) has neither salutary nor deleterious effects on children's intellectual development; (2) is not disruptive of children's emotional bond with their mothers; and (3) increases children's interaction, both positive and negative, with their peers.…

Infants from low socioeconomic status families were randomly assigned to either an instructional day care program designed to prevent socioculturally caused mental retardation or to a nonintervention control group. The effects of these environments were then compared for fetally malnourished infants in terms of later intellectual functioning and…

A study of logic enables students to see what constitutes valid arguments and legitimate fallacies and enables them to apply this to situations in their lives so they can make sound decisions. (JD)

Describes a study of level of intellectual development displayed by a population of Australian primary school education students at the time of entry to college. Results agree with United States research which indicate that a significant proportion of high school and college students is not at the level of formal operations, an idea contrary to…

Four types of semantic relation, assumed by different researchers to be implicated in the organization of semantic information, were investigated by means of false recognition and word association tasks presented to independent samples of 4- and 5-year-old children. (Author/SB)

Presents a study of a theoretical confluence model which predicts the effects of birth order, child spacing and family size on intellectual development. The fit of this model was tested on samples of families with biological and adopted children. (JMB)

Discusses the theories of Piaget, Bruner, Lifschitz and Langford, Vygotsky and others. (SB)

Discusses the use and stimulation of lateral, or divergent, thinking to promote creativity. (SL)

This article discusses research into the question of whether the expectation of hereditary factors in man's unique form of communication is supported by any evidence. The research is divided into three broad categories, dealing with voice, with speech, and with language. (CFM)

Studies regarding the development of talent and unusually successful learning indicate that a "qualitative transformation" frequently occurs in which these individuals grow in their understanding of learning, recognizing the importance of commitment to learning through mutual encouragement and support. (CB)

In an attempt to make Vygotsky's theories more accessible, Wertsch in "Vygotsky and the Social Formation of Mind" takes significant liberties with the original works. That leads to serious errors and moves the focus away from the author's own psychological theories. (PS)

Examined cognitive-developmental functioning across a series of developmental domains among 8- to 10-year-old children. Results supported the sequential nature of stage development from less complex to more complex levels of functioning. There does not seem to be support for synchronicity of development across the three domains. (BL)

A noted writer of fiction explores the role of imagination in the intellectual development of children and the need for imagination in various facets of daily lives and suggests ways of stimulating its use by children. (RBW)

Argues the importance of teaching children to "disturb the universe"--take stands on important issues. Decries the world of the binary computer where all questions must be answered yes/no or either/or. (FL)