Information obtained in this study involving 72 girls (6-, 9-, and 12-year-olds) documents the facilitating effect of forced verbalization at three age levels. (Author/WY)

A study examining readers' ability to infer consequences backward and forward from events described in stories is described. Results show that backward consequence inferences are more reliably drawn during the course of reading than forward consequence inferences. (MSE)

Students in grades four-six were asked to complete multiplication examples and write a story problem (reported earlier, SE 533 279). Their stories were categorized in terms of their logic and realism. Many errors were noted, leading to the conclusion that knowledge of multiplication does not necessarily lead to logical multiplication. (MNS)

A faculty member describes her changes in perspective on teaching and learning as a result of teaching an innovative philosophy course on technology, values, and society. One salient discovery was that any given problem is seen differently depending on the discipline through which it is approached. (MSE)

The purpose of educational philosophy, as represented in "Philosophy and Education: Eightieth Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education," is discussed and a proper role for the discipline is suggested. Several authors of essays in the yearbook are criticized for emphasizing adherence to schools of philosophy at the…

This experiment in reasoning attempted to discover why simple logic tasks cause problems. An initial group investigation preceded the experiment, which tested two hypotheses: that subjects presented with a "four-card" problem make irrational responses, and that successful completion of a programed text will reduce irrational responses.…

Since the brain operates best on multimodal, nonlogical, real-world problems, it may be counterproductive to teach students sequential, logical techniques for solving artificially defined problems. Giving students time to consider and propose solutions for real problems may be a more effective means of helping them learn to think. (PGD)

Piaget's theory of cognitive developmental levels is criticized on the grounds that it blends empirical and philosophical issues of knowledge and, therefore, confuses genetic psychology and epistemology. (JN)

To develop scientific thinking in students, the history of science should be integrated in school curricula. This would present conflicting theories, within and outside of science, that would help to develop the students' abilities to compare and criticize. (CJ)

It is shown that the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) significantly predicted standing in a specialized course at the college level, lending credence to its criterion-related validity. The paper is based on a study of accelerated students pursuing a combined baccalaureate and professional program of medicine. (CE)

Examines the effects of different amounts of irrelevant information on adult age differences in problem solving. Reaction times were slower as a function of increased age and increased levels of variable irrelevant information. Age-associated inability to ignore irrelevant information is partially responsible for the well-documented decline in…

Examines language effects in class-inclusion performance with 224 children ages 3 through 12 by comparing the standard Piagetian question with two alternate question forms. Overall, the findings were inconsistent with the Piagetian assertion that logical inability produces errors in comparing subclasses; inclusion performance was a function of…

The cognition theories of Piaget as they apply to adults are examined in the light of new theories about the characteristics of formal reasoning abilities and their acquisition over a long life span. (JD)