Early childhood malnutrition affects the central nervous system which affects the mental processes. (NI)

Hair lead content, intelligence tests, school achievement, and motor impairment assessments were obtained from 149 children aged 5 to 16. Hair lead concentration significantly discriminated between groups and significantly predicted IQ scores, independent of group classifications. Regression analyses showed a significant negative correlation…

An examination of the historical record fails to uncover any support for the claim that the racially biased Immigration Act of 1924 was passed with the help of the intelligence testing community. (GC)

A patterns task consisting of six stimuli, three presented in two-dimensional form and three presented in three-dimensional form, was administered to 47 preschoolers. Findings demonstrate the importance of developing measures of original thinking that are specifically appropriate for use with preschool children. (Author/RH)

Reports empirical findings indicating that autistic children have a basic cognitive deficit that is not a secondary consequence of social withdrawal. The precise nature of the deficit is discussed, as are studies of autistic children's general intelligence, language abnormalities, and social impairments. (RH)

Two sets of stimuli on the Unusual Uses task varying in familiarity were presented to 78 preschool-age subjects. Familiar items yielded greater ideational fluency than unfamiliar ones and generated both more popular and unusual responses. Increased fluency is discussed in relation to Mednick's response hierarchies and the distinction between…

Research among mentally and educationally retarded children found that retardation in general ability was associated with retardation in musical ability. Factor analyses of musical tests identified a factor of musical ability, independent of intelligence, for this group. (Author/MJL)

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…

This article describes the author's courtroom experience as a witness for the defense in the Larry P. v. Wilson Riles case; provides excerpts of the testimony and cross-examination; and makes suggestions for individuals who may testify as expert witnesses. (Author/BW)

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)

Evidence for the increasing recognition of maturational lag in addition to intellectual impairment, associated with the syndrome of early onset psychosis, is presented to indicate that developmental variables play a central role in the behavioral profile of autistic children. (Author)