Argues that the reduction of competence models to performance models is countered both by epistemological arguments and by examining the weakness of supposed refutations of Piaget's logical competence model. Points out flaws in Piaget's position. (Author/RH)

Offers a critical commentary of recent attempts by adult-cognitive developmentalists to conduct more meaningful, ecologically-valid research. These efforts are criticized for assuming that ecological validity is assured primarily at the level of measures, and that the inclusion of familiar test stimuli and everyday situations within such measures…

Presents an overview of Pascual-Leone's Theory of Constructive Operators and discusses its implications for issues in developmental psychology. The author concludes that the theory may resolve several anomalies in cognitive- developmental and learning theory approaches to development. One potential problem, the objectivity of task analysis, is…

Examines the justifications for paternalistic restrictions on children's rights. The reason given for restrictions is that children are more likely to harm themselves and cannot promote their own interests due to cognitive and moral deficiencies. The author shows that children are as competent as adults in making reasoned choices. (AM)

Factor scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) were compared for two groups (total N=100) of cultural-familial mentally retarded youth (eight- to 11- and 13- to 16-year-olds) and one group of 50 nonretarded youth (eight- to 11-year-olds). (Author/SW)

The study investigated the basic concept attainment of 45 primary-level educable mentally handicapped (EMH) children who had been exposed to two to three years of classroom instruction. The study documented that primary-level EMH children have significant deficits in their understanding of the Boehm basic concepts. (SB)

Retarded (N=24) and nonretarded (N=46) individuals matched on MA and CA were tested on role-taking, self-image, and imitation. The findings supported the view that role-taking ability is a function of cognitive level and that self-image and imitation are determined by both cognitive and experiential factors. (Author)

This final essay in a five-part series examining Piaget's structural developmental psychology suggests that a psychological theory which integrates aspects of developmental structuralism within a critical social framework can be developed. (Author/RH)

Reviews and synthesizes, within the broad framework of comparative cognition, several approaches to the study of human memory, including ontogenetic, cultural/sociohistorical, and clinical research. Asserts that future research on comparative memory development must focus on the flexible and adaptive use of memory skills to meet purposes…

Recent research employing more direct measures of central functional asymmetry suggests that a reconceptualization of the notion of cerebral dominance may be in order. A rationale for this reconceptualization is provided and the implications for children with learning disorders is discussed. (Author)

Postulates that a new technology which may amplify cognition, regulate affect, and improve communication and control in social interactions is emerging from the convergence of computers and communications. Thirty-two references are cited. (FM)

Performance of 30 children (retarded, nonretarded, and language impaired) on nonlinguistic symbolic and conceptual cognitive tasks was measured. The performance of the retarded and nonretarded groups was essentially similar, while both of these groups generally performed at higher stage levels than did the language impaired group. (Author/CL)

Third in a series of five essays on Piaget, this article examines the dynamic, functional aspects of Piagetian theory through an identification and analysis of two major models for understanding interaction and change: assimilation/accommodation and scientific inquiry. (Author/CM)

The locative categories--"in,""above,""below," and "beside"--were investigated to determine whether their exemplars were organized according to the prototype distinction. (RH)

Tests Piaget's assertion that the anticipation of conservation among otherwise nonconserving children is a pseudoconservation since it is limited to those lacking knowledge of covariation. Number, area, and length conservation tasks and a covariation task were given to 96 children from kindergarten through the fifth grade. (Author/SS)