Intuitive physics and cognitive algebra: A review

IntroductionIntuitive physics explores how people without a formal instruction in physics intuitively understand physical phenomena. After a general overview of the topics of current research in intuitive physics and a discussion of current debates, this paper provides an introduction to Information Integration Theory (IIT).ObjectiveBy means of examples, it is shown how IIT can be used to directly compare the algebraic structure of physical laws and the algebraic structure of cognitive representations of these laws.MethodThe review considers about 40 years of research on the application of IIT in the field of intuitive physics. Occasionally, reference is also made to intuitive physics studies outside this theoretical framework.ResultsThe reviewed studies highlight four main factors that affect the degree of consistency between physical laws and cognitive algebraic laws: the participants’ age, their familiarity with the event under study, the type of task, and possible learning processes.ConclusionThe last part of the article discusses the implications of the results of the reviewed studies for the two main current hypotheses on the nature of intuitive physics, namely, that intuitive physics may be based on sub-optimal heuristics or may be based on the internalization of physical laws.     

Methods and aims of investigative interviewing of adult witnesses: An analysis of professional practices

Eyewitnesses provide crucial evidence for the investigation of criminal cases. We analysed professional police interviewers’ behaviour by conducting a literature review. Our results indicate that the interviewing techniques used by untrained and trained investigators are predominantly inappropriate and harmful to memory recall. The way investigators curtail and select witnesses’ responses suggests that they look for specific information. As a subsequent step, we analysed investigative interviewing in terms of professional objectives, identifying the types of information that the police inquire about during the interview. Based on our results, we conclude future research should perform a fine-grained analysis of professional interviewing procedures with the aim of producing effective interviewing techniques that meet investigators’ real-world objectives.     

Utilisation d'un hypermédia et apprentissage : deux activités concurrentes ou complémentaires ?

This article presents a review of the empirical literature about the use of hypermedia for learning. It uses the cognitive load theory as a framework to interpreter the results. This framework enables us to structure the review in four main parts, corresponding to the principal sources of the variations of the cognitive cost: the hypermedia, the learner, the leaning task, and the using task, and to their under-components. According to us, the user of an hypermedia for learning carries out a learning activity and a hypermedia using activity, the first being the goal, the second being the means and representing a specific overcost. We propose to interpret the data observed not in reference to a linear correlation training-use but in reference to the implication training-use.     

Validation of the French version of the Object Spatial Imagery and Verbal Questionnaire

IntroductionThe Object Spatial Imagery and Verbal Questionnaire (OSIVQ) measures individual differences in Visual-Verbal cognitive style and distinguishes between spatial and object visual imagery.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a French version of the OSIVQ.MethodSeven hundred fifty-two participants completed the French OSIVQ and 144 of them also completed a paper-and-pencil assessment to evaluate spatial imagery, object imagery and verbal abilities.ResultsPrincipal component analyses of the OSIVQ showed good internal construct validity. Results also revealed pronounced individual differences and a significant gender effect. Confirmatory factorial analyses gave support to a three-dimensional model of cognitive style. Furthermore, correlations were observed across the different dimensions of the questionnaire and specific paper-and-pencil tasks.ConclusionOur results highlight the good psychometric properties of the French version of the OSIVQ.     

La compréhension des causes biologiques de la maladie par les enfants

This article reviews research on the extent to which children can and do understand the biological basis for illness transmission. Recent studies demonstrate that even preschoolers can grasp the invisible nature of microbial contamination. However, they may not readily identify germs as organisms that reproduce and multiply and that require an incubation period to produce symptoms of illness. Moreover, the acceptance of purification techniques that reverse the effects of contamination is strongly influenced by culture. For example, Indian children, compared to their American counterparts, often judge that the contamination of liquids cannot be reversed even with boiling and cooling. Work in developing countries suggests that early experience with biological explanations for illness is important for adults’ understanding of illness transmission.     

Attachment representations in school-age children: the development of the child attachment interview (CAI)

This paper introduces a new measure of attachment in middle childhood (8?-?13 years), an interview extensively adapted from the AAI and with a new coding system. We report data from a series of studies with clinical and normal populations, in which the psychometric properties of reliability, stability and validity are tested and found to be satisfactory. Although work remains to be done, we see the Child Attachment Interview as a promising new attachment measure. Ce texte présente un nouvel instrument d'évaluation de l'"attachement" chez les enfants entre 8 et 13 ans. Adaptation considérablement remaniée de l'Entretien d'Attachement chez l'Adulte, cet "Entretien" est doté d'un système de codage entièrement nouveau. Les auteurs rapportent les données de plusieurs études portant sur des échantillons cliniques et normaux, dans lesquelles les propriétés psychométriques de fiabilité, de stabilité et de validité ont été testées et trouvées satisfaisantes. S'il est encore à amèliorer, l'Entretien d'Attachement chez l'Enfant s'avère déjà être un nouvel instrument d'évaluation à perspectives fort intéressantes. Questo articolo presenta un nuovo strumento di misurazione dell'attaccamento per il periodo dell'infanzia dagli 8 ai 13 anni, un metodo di intervista in gran parte preso dal AAI con un nuovo sistema di decodifica. Vengono riportati i dati derivati da una serie di studi su una popolazione normale ed una clinica, nei quali le variabili psicometriche di affidabilita', stabilita' e validita' sono state testate e ritenute soddisfacenti. Sebbene resti del lavoro da fare, gli autori ritengono che lo strumento del Child Attachment Interview sia promettente per misurare l'attaccamento. Dieser Artikel gibt eine Einfährung zu einer neuen Messung von Bindung in der mittleren Kindheit (8?-?13 Jahren), ein Interview, das ausgiebig vom AAI (Erwachsenen Bindungsinterview) angepasst und mit einem neuen Kodierungssystem versehen wurde. Wir berichten von einer Reihe von Studien mit klinischen und normalen Populationen, in denen die psychometrischen Eigenheiten von Verlässlichkeit, Stabilität und Validität getestet wurden und sich als befriedigend erwiesen. Auch wenn noch viel Arbeit geleistet werden muss, sehen wir doch das Kindbindungsinterview als eine vielversprechende neue Messung von Bindung.     

ROLE OF FIRST‐YEAR MATERNAL EMPLOYMENT AND PATERNAL INVOLVEMENT IN BEHAVIORAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG CHILDREN

Drawing on economic models of child development and attachment relationship perspectives, this study examined the effect of maternal employment in the first year after childbirth on subsequent behavioral and cognitive development in low‐income children. Analyses of data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (N = 411) revealed that despite the accompanying family income gains, maternal employment in the first year after childbirth adversely affected caregiver‐reported internalizing and externalizing behavior problems of Hispanic, Black, and White children at ages 3 and 5 years. This study also examined how paternal participation in childcare might affect children's outcomes. Results indicate that greater paternal participation eased the adverse impacts of maternal employment on internalizing behavior problems. There was no evidence that maternal employment was associated with children's memory cognitive functioning or that paternal involvement moderated children's cognitive development. These findings suggest that when early intervention programs are designed to assist low‐income families, enhancing supports (e.g., paternal involvement or parental leave) for working mothers during their child's first year may be valuable for young children's healthy development.     

FATHER–CHILD INTERACTIONS AT 3 MONTHS AND 24 MONTHS: CONTRIBUTIONS TO CHILDREN'S COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT AT 24 MONTHS

The quality of father–child interactions has become a focus of increasing research in the field of child development. We examined the potential contribution of father–child interactions at both 3 months and 24 months to children's cognitive development at 24 months. Observational measures of father–child interactions at 3 and 24 months were used to assess the quality of fathers’ parenting (n = 192). At 24 months, the Mental Developmental Index (MDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Second Edition (N. Bayley, 1993 ) measured cognitive functioning. The association between interactions and cognitive development was examined using multiple linear regression analyses, adjusting for paternal age, education and depression, infant age, and maternal sensitivity. Children whose fathers displayed more withdrawn and depressive behaviors in father–infant interactions at 3 months scored lower on the MDI at 24 months. At 24 months, children whose fathers were more engaged and sensitive as well as those whose fathers were less controlling in their interactions scored higher on the MDI. These findings were independent of the effects of maternal sensitivity. Results indicate that father–child interactions, even from a very young age (i.e., 3 months) may influence children's cognitive development. They highlight the potential significance of interventions to promote positive parenting by fathers and policies that encourage fathers to spend more time with their young children.     

Attachment representations and adoption: associations between maternal states of mind and emotion narratives in previously maltreated children

This paper reports on associations observed between Adult Attachment Interviews (AAIs) obtained from adoptive mothers, and emotional themes appearing in doll play narratives obtained from their recently adopted children. The children, aged 4?-?8 years, carried into their adoptive placements a history of consistently serious maltreatment, including neglect and abuse. Results reveal strong and significant influences of maternal state of mind regarding attachment upon their adopted children's story-completions. Mothers whose AAIs were judged insecure (either dismissing or preoccupied) were likely to have adopted children who, three months after placement, provided story-completions with higher levels of aggressiveness as compared to the stories provided by children adopted by mothers with secure-autonomous AAIs. Children whose adoptive mothers provided AAIs indicative of unresolved (as opposed to resolved) mourning regarding past loss or trauma provided story completions with higher scores for emotional themes such as 'parent appearing child-like' and 'throwing out or throwing away'. Results also include a qualitative section that provides narrative excerpts of maternal AAIs and children's story-completions. Discussion concerns the contribution these findings make to the literature on intergenerational transmission of attachment patterns, and the implications these findings have for child clinical work and social policy. Cet article rend compte des rapports observés entre, d'une part, les Entretiens d'Attachement chez l'Adulte auxquels participaient des mères adoptives et, d'autre part, la thématique émotionnelle évoquée lors des récits de jeux de poupée fournis par leurs enfants, adoptés depuis peu. Ces enfants, âgés de 4 à 7 ans, reportent dans leur placement adoptif leur histoire antérieure de maltraitance; constante et sévère, celle-ci englobe carences graves et abus. Les résultats montrent l'influence considérable et significative, sur la manière dont les enfants adoptés terminent leurs récits, des états psychiques maternels par rapport à l'attachement. En ce qui concerne les méres dont le type d'attachement, évalué lors de l'Entretien, est jugé précaire (peu attentionné ou préoccupé), on constate, après trois mois de placement, que l'enfant adopté tend à fournir des fins de récit dont le niveau d'agressivité est plus élevé que celui donné par des enfants adoptés par des mères chez qui le type d'attachement est jugé sûr et autonome. Si l'évaluation de l'attachement chez la mère renvoie à l'existence de deuils non élaborés et de traumatismes, la thématique émotionnelle présentée par son enfant dans ces récits est de type "parent infantile" ou "jeter/rejeter". Les données rapportées comportent une dimension qualitative qui met en parallèle des extraits des Entretiens d'Attachement maternels et les fins de récit proposées par leurs enfants respectifs. Les auteurs discutent ensuite de la contribution que ces résultats pourraient apporter aux travaux concernant la transmission intergénérationnelle des modèles d'attachement. Les implications de cette étude pour le travail clinique auprès des enfants et pour la politique sociale au sens large sont également débattues. Questo articolo presenta le associazioni osservate tra l'Adult Attachment Interviews (AAIs) sottoposto a madri adottive e tematiche emotive emerse nelle narrative di gioco con le bambole espresse dai loro bambini recentemente adottati. I bambini di eta' dai 4 ai 7 anni portano nelle loro famiglie adottive storie di severo maltrattamento, che includono l'abuso e negligenza. I risultati rivelano che lo stato mentale materno in relazione all'attaccamento ha un' influenza forte e significativa sul completamento delle storie dei bambini adottati. Madri che all'AAI risultavano insicure (sia superficiali che troppo preoccupate) avevano alta probabilita' di aver adottato bambini che, tre mesi dopo l'arrivo, fornivano storie con un maggior livello di aggressivita' paragonato alle storie fornite da bambini adottati da madri con attaccamento all'AAI classificato come sicuro-autonomo. Bambini le cui madri adottive risultano all'AAI avere dei lutti non elaborati (invece che elaborati) riguardanti perdite del passato o traumi producono storie che danno un punteggio piu' alto nelle tematiche emotive come per esempio 'il genitore e' infantile' e 'che respinge o rifiuta'. I risultati comprendono anche una sezione qualitativa che riporta parti delle narrative delle madri al AAI e delle storie raccontate dai bambini. La discussione si sofferma sul contributo che questi risultati portano alla letteratura sulla trasmissione intergenerazionale di modelli di attaccamento e sulle implicazioni che tali risultati hanno per il lavoro clinico con bambini e per le politiche sociali. Dieser Artikel berichtet von Verbindugen zwischen Erwachsenen-Bindungsinterviews (AAIs), die von Adoptivmüttern erhalten wurden und emotionalen Themen, die inm Puppenspielnarrativen bei Kindern, die vor kurzem adoptiert worden waren, auftraten. Die Kinder zwischen 4 und 7 Jahren brachten in ihre Adoptionsplätze eine Geschichte von durchgehend ernster Misshandlung, einschliesslich Vernachlässigung und Missbrauch, mit. Die Ergebnisse zeigten starke und signifikante Einflüsse des mütterlichen Gemütszustands bezüglich Bindung auf die Fertigstellung der Geschichten der Adoptivkinder. Mütter, deren AAI als unsicher ( entweder abwehrend oder besorgt) eingeschätzt wurden, hatten eher Adoptivkinder, die drei Monate nach ihrer Plazierung Geschichten mit einem höherem Grad an Aggressivität herstellten, verglichen mit Geschichten, die von Kindern produziert wurden, die von Müttern mit sicherer-autonomer Bindung adoptiert worden waren. Kinder, deren Adoptivmütter AAIs zeigten, die indikativ für unverarbeitetes (im Gegensatz zu verarbeitetem) Trauern bezüglich vergangener Verluste oder Trauma waren, produzierten Geschichten mit höherem Zahlen von emotionalen Themen wie etwa 'Elternteil, das wie ein Kind erscheint' und 'hinauswerfen und wegwerfen'. Die Ergebnisse schliessen auch einen qualitative Abschnitt ein, in dem Exzerpte der Narrative der mütterlichen Interviews und der Geschichten der Kinder dargestellt werden. Die Diskussion dreht sich um den Beitrag, den diese Ergebnisse zur Literatur der Intergenerationsweitergabe von Bindungsmustern leistet und den Implikationen, die diese Ergebnisse für die klinische Arbeit mit Kindern und für die Sozialpolitik haben.