The ABCs of analogical abilities: Evidence for formal analogical reasoning abilities in 24‐month‐olds

Solving formal analogy problems requires the identification of an initial term and the transformation that occurs between the initial two terms as well as the determination of the final term. Experiment 1 tested 24‐month‐olds' ability to determine final terms when they were shown the initial term and told the transformation that was to occur. Children selected their responses from an array of two principled distracters. The children were able to determine the correct final term when they were given information about the initial term and transformation. Experiment 2 tested 24‐month‐olds' ability to solve final‐term problems, partial analogies, and complete analogies. The children solved all the three types of problems.     

SOMATIC ATTRACTIVENESS: AS IN OTHER THINGS, MODERATION IS BEST

Much evidence exists that facially attractive persons are perceived to possess more positive personality traits than are facially unattractive persons. This stereotype is known to be more potent when applied to women than to men. Two experiments were conducted to investigate whether a similar physical attractiveness stereotype exists when "attractive" is defined in terms of physique and "positive" is defined in terms of sex role characteristics and future life happiness. Both the sex role and the life happiness items revealed a tendency for those of intermediate attractiveness to be rated highest. In terms of somatic beauty, the results indicate that while a physical attractiveness stereotype exists, its content is not compatible with the thesis that "what is beautiful is good"     

Book Reviews Sándor Ferenczi: The Psychotherapist of Tenderness and Passion,by Arnold Wm. Rachman,Jason Aronson, 1997, 464 ps.

The American Journal of Psychoanalysis -