THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONSERVATION IN ABORIGINAL CHILDREN1

Deux groupes d'enfants aborigènes australiens (âge 8–15 ans) subissent les épreuves mises au point pour L'étude de la conservation de la quantité, du poids, du volume, de la longueur, de la surface et du nombre. Les résultats montrent que les enfants aborigènes réussissent ces problèmes à des âges plus élevés que les enfants européens et que dans certains cas, la notion de conservation n'est pas atteinte. On constate également des différences significatives chez les enfants aborigènes selon qu'ils sont de souche pure ou non. Les résultats confirment dans L'ensemble la théorie des stades de développement, mais on observe que L'ordre des stades dont L'invariance est postulée par Piaget et Inhelder présente quelques variations. L'A. commente ces résultats et évoque les différents facteurs qui peuvent être responsables du retard observé dans le développement des enfants aborigènes.     

Visual recognition under conditions of high and low discrimination redundancy

The purpose of this investigation was to measure the minimum interval for recognition under conditions of high and low discrimination redundancy. The minimum interval for recognition is the briefest interval between two stimuli at which the first stimulus can be processed. Two sets of four digits were used. Digits were selected so that one set exhibited high discrimination redundancy and the other low discrimination redundancy. Ten Ss viewed digits with high discrimination redundancy, and 10 Ss viewed digits with low discrimination redundancy. The minimum interval for recognition for Ss tested with high discrimination redundancy was nearly twice as large as the minimum interval for recognition of the digits with low discrimination redundancy.     

The use of a discriminant function in the treatment of psychological group differences

A technique for determining a set of weights for the linear combination of a number of measures is applied to a concrete problem. The set of weights meets the criterion of maximum separation of the total scores of two different occupational groups.     

Physical restraint produces rapid acquisition of the pigeon's key peck

The acquisition and maintenance of autoshaped key pecking in pigeons was studied as a function of intertrial interval. At each of six intervals, which ranged from 12 seconds to 384 seconds, four pigeons were physically restrained during training while four other pigeons were not restrained. Restrained subjects acquired key pecking faster and with less intragroup variability at each interval. The effects of restraint were specific to acquisition and were not evident in maintained responding after five postacquisition sessions.     

A developmental study of semantic elaboration and interpretation in recognition memory

Two experiments examined semantic elaboration and interpretation in recognition memory of 4-year-olds and college students. Subjects were presented pictures of color-specific and non-color-specific items, and then tested for their recognition of the chroma of the items. In Experiment 1, one-half of the presentation items were black and white and one-half colored, and testing always involved one black and white and one colored choice. In Experiment 2, all of the presentation items were colored, and testing always involved two colored choices. In both studies, the pattern of results of the two age groups was similar. Experiments 1 and 2 indicated that recognition judgments were based on representations that were elaborated with preexperimentally acquired semantic color information, and Experiment 2 also indicated that recognition judgments were based on representations that contained interpretive information about the appropriateness of the colors of the items. The results were considered to support and extend the view that when young children and adults share a common knowledge base, they are likely to engage in similar and extensive semantic processing.     

Effects of methylphenidate alone and in combination with behavior modification procedures on the behavior and academic performance of hyperactive children

Twenty hyperactive 6- to 9-year-old children of normal intelligence were studied in a half-day laboratory classroom in a 2-week period baseline-treatment-reversal design for behavior modification. Under double-blind conditions half the children were placed on .3 mg/kg of Ritalin and half on placebo for the entire program. The classroom program consisted of a group period with immediate reinforcement possible, and an individual time period without immediate reinforcement possible. Behavior modification caused a significant decrease in nonattending, out-of-seat, inappropriate vocalizing and inappropriate peer interaction behavior in the group period. Fidgeting, a nontargeted behavior, was not significantly decreased during this period but did signficantly decrease as a result of medication. No other drug effects occurred during this period. During the individual period, the results were essentially reversed. There were no significant behavior modification effects observed. Significant reductions resulted from medication in all behaviors except out-of-seat and fidgeting. Behavior modification alone significantly affected the two academic measures. No significant effects were seen on the Conners Abbreviated Teacher Rating Scale. No significant interactions were noted between medication and behavior modification.This study was supported by a grant from the Health Services and Mental Health Administration, Maternal and Child Health Service Project 920. Special thanks are due to Judy Racheleu, Charles Cunningham, Christopher P. S. Williams, Dan Lee, Russell Barkley, Ross Danielson, Sally Gray, Don Slyman, and Linda Shambeck.     

Reality-Testing a Vocational Choice: Congruence Between Self,Ideal, and Occupational Percepts Among Student Nurses

A total of 168 student nurses (24 each at 7 levels of vocational experience and preparation) Q-sorted 50 self-relevant, socially neutral statements to measure self-concept, ideal self-concept, and occupational role percept. Mean r's for congruence between ideal and occupational percepts tended to exceed and to reach higher levels of significance than corresponding r's for congruence between either self and ideal or self and occupational percepts. Congruences between self, ideal, and occupational percepts reach significance at p = .01 for graduate students, who have attained “adult” professional status. However, no significant relationship appears to obtain between either pre-professional or professional nursing experience and congruence between self and ideal, self and occupational role, or ideal and occupational role percepts. Results are interpreted in terms of a self-concept theory of vocational development.     

Listening In: How Parent-Child Communication Relates to Social and Physical Aggression

Journal of Child and Family Studies - In this study, we investigated the relations between features of parent-child conversations (neutral talk, positive and negative in-dyad and out-dyad talk) and...     

Radical anti-realism, Wittgenstein and the length of proofs

After sketching an argument for radical anti-realism that does not appeal to human limitations but polynomial-time computability in its definition of feasibility, I revisit an argument by Wittgenstein on the surveyability of proofs, and then examine the consequences of its application to the notion of canonical proof in contemporary proof-theoretical-semantics.