ABSTRACT
By means of the theoretical modeling of data from Kemps, De Rammelaere, and Desmet (2000, this issue), the working memory theory of Baddeley and the theory of constructive operators of Pascual-Leone are contrasted and compared. It is concluded that although the theory of constructive operators is complementary with working memory theory (for it explains developmental and individual differences that working memory theory cannot explain), the converse is not true; the theory of constructive operators explains all the data without need of working memory theory.
Subject(s)
Child Development , Mental Recall , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Language Development , Male , Models, Psychological , Orientation , Pattern Recognition, Visual , Psychomotor PerformanceABSTRACT
Some general-causal assumptions of current neo-Piagetian research are discussed and compared with those of French European developmentalists. Developmental theory problems for the millennium are highlighted.
Subject(s)
Child Development , Cognition , Models, Psychological , Psychology, Child/trends , Attention , Child , France , Humans , SwitzerlandABSTRACT
There is currently no consensus on whether the difference between field-dependent and field-independent subjects on tasks of cognitive abilities result from different mental processing strategies, from true group differences in cognitive ability, or from both. School-age children (N = 239) were tested for field dependence/independence using the Children's Embedded Figures Test and for mental-attentional capacity using the Figural Intersection Task. Multigroup scaling models were used to separate the contributions of style from ability in children's performance on Figural Intersection items. Results show that field-dependent children have greater odds of success than field-independent children in Figural Intersection items when the task's mental-attentional demand is above the child's mental attentional capacity, as assessed in the same task. The contrary is true when the task's mental-attentional demand is below or equal to the mental-attentional capacity of the child. Overall, field-dependent children obtain lower estimates of mental-attentional capacity than field-independent children in this task. We discuss the implications of these results for the measurement of mental-attentional capacity and the conceptualization of field dependence/independence.
Subject(s)
Attention/physiology , Cognition/physiology , Mental Processes/physiology , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , MaleSubject(s)
Child Development , Concept Formation , Orientation , Psychological Theory , Visual Perception , Attention , Child , Discrimination Learning , HumansABSTRACT
We outline a theory of metaphor interpretation. The theory posits varying levels of semantic processing and formalizes them in terms of kinds of semantic-mapping operators that transform properties of the metaphoric vehicle (i.e., predicate) into properties of the metaphoric topic (i.e., subject). We used cognitive-developmental theory to estimate the mental-processing complexity of the various mapping operators, and thereby to predict the timing of their emergence in childhood, and to construct a measure of the metaphoric-processing levels. Metaphor interpretations collected from children (aged 6-12 years) and adults were coded and scored according to the processing levels. In two separate developmental studies, processing score increased with age in a predictable way. Growth in a mental-attentional resource accounted for much of the developmental variance in metaphor interpretation. Possible moderating effects of knowledge and context are discussed.
Subject(s)
Language Development , Semantics , Symbolism , Child , Child Development , Cognition , Female , Humans , Male , Models, PsychologicalABSTRACT
Two studies are reported concerning performance differences and similarities across cultures. Pascual-Leone's tests of mental attention/energy (M-power) were administered to Zulu-speaking township children aged from 7 to 12 years. In study 1, the Compound Stimulus Visual Information task (CSVI) was used to determine whether children (N=292) performed at theoretically predicted levels previously obtained with middle-class Canadian children. In study 2, the children (N=252) were required to complete the Figural Intersection Test (FIT) four times. Unlike the CSVI, in which learning is controlled by training prior to testing, the FIT assumes basic familiarity with the general test requirements. The purpose of repeated testing was to assess the extent of learning across trials. The results for study 1 indicate that subjects do perform at the predicted levels on the CSVI and have the same M-power as Canadian children. The results for study 2 indicate that the subjects underperform on trial 1 of the FIT but overperform on trial 2 relative to Canadian children.
ABSTRACT
From a structural point of view, conservation tasks resemble Witkin's field-dependence situations. According to our neo-Piagetian theory, therefore, the failure of certain disadvantaged black teenagers to profit from conservation training may be related to their field dependence.
