Two experiments were conducted to investigate the development of evaluative and taxonomic encoding in children's memory. The task used was a modification of the Wickens short-term memory task in which subjects' recall of words is tested following a distraction task. The first experiment found that 11-year-old children, but not 8-year-old children,…

This document is the Process Education for Teachers Package, which was designed to give teachers an understanding of the learning process. The package contains an introductory booklet, a research paper, and 13 modules. The introductory booklet presents a history of the formation of the materials and the rationale for the emphasis on the "process…

This study investigated the Zajonc-Cottrell theoretical conflict pertaining to drive by testing children during early learning on a gross motor task, with the audience effect paradigm of social facilitation. Two hundred forty youngsters served as subjects. They were selected randomly from both sexes and equally from a large preschool and public…

This study tests the hypothesis that labeling facilitates recall in nursery school children if and only if it leads to rehearsal. Subjects were 34 children ranging in age from 47 to 53 months. During pretraining, those children in the Label group named pictures of animals and fruits as they were presented, while those in the No Label group matched…

This book provides an introduction to psycholinguistics, and applies linguistic knowledge to early childhood learning. The chapters that comprise the book are as follows: I. The Elements of Language; II. Language and Situation; III. The Acquisition of Language; IV. Language and Reality; V. The Language Environment; VI. Capabilities in Language;…

The present study asked whether laboratory findings that isolation of an item facilitates its recall extended to formal educational settings. Four groups of students from a General Psychology class were differentiated in terms of the type of material which was isolated in assigned readings. Principles, examples of principles, or trivial statements…

In the serial position memory task, a series of stimulus cards are placed face down in a row in front of the subject. A card identical to the stimulus card is then shown to the subject, who is required to indicate the position of this card in the stimulus array. The present three studies investigated the possibility that the labeling effect found…

In the series of experiments supported by this grant, some fundamental characteristics of the concept of attention were explored. The first experiments were based upon the assumption that attention is limited and consequently that adult subjects may only be able to perceive a fairly restricted portion of the stimuli available to them at any moment…

The study is based on the assumption that certain noncognitive factors influence the learning process, and attempts to tentatively isolate what such variables might be. Subjects were 93 students enrolled in a General Psychology course. Each completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and was then assigned randomly to one of 4 treatment groups: (1)…

Research comparing discovery and expository methods of presentation has yielded conflicting results. A review of the research on discovery learning is provided in this paper, focusing on the methodology of each study. Conclusions are drawn concerning the effects of discovery methods of presentation on initial learning, transfer, and retention. Use…

Using 64 fourth- and fifth-grade girls and boys as experimentals, a study was made of whether time-compressed speech, within the limits of 160-367 words-per-minute rates, is feasible as an adequate avenue for learning certain types of material when the subjects have been provided with extended, systematic training in its use through gradual…

The Sampling Organization and Recall Through Strategies (SORTS) test was administered to 87 educable mentally retarded (EMR) children (mean chronological age, 97 months; mean IQ, 70) and 31 nonretarded (NR) second grade children to determine Ss' characteristic grouping responses, the effects of various organizational strategies on recall and…

Conceptual problems were administered in two formats, rule learning and attribute identification, to 192 college students. The stimulus patterns were gemoetric designs. Results showed that bidimensional concepts about the patterns were retained nearly perfectly up through periods of one week, without intevening practice. The one exception was…

The purpose of early learning centers and the home as the child's first center for learning are discussed. The center for early learning is a place for creative expression, of close human relationships, a place for fostering health, emotional and social development, as well as intellectual development, but the base of action is the child.…

Two experiments were conducted to examine the possibility that numbering might have an effect on learning of lists composed of more meaningful and highly available materials, words, and to further explore the possibility that different strategies may be employed in learning the two types of lists. In Experiment 1, 40 female students from…