Categorical and schematic organization and the development of retrieval strategies

This study investigated the effects of schematic and categorical organization on young children's recall. Preschool and kindergarten children recalled either a taxonomic list or a story in one of two presentation conditions: an alternate condition, in which the material was presented, children recalled it and the procedure was repeated, or a successive condition in which the material was presented twice and children recalled it twice. Although preschool children's story recall was well organized, their list recall was poorly organized, and organization did not increase over recall trials in either presentation condition. In contrast, kindergarten children's recall of both the story and the list was well organized, and their recall was better organized on the second recall trial than on the first in both presentation conditions. These results are discussed in terms of the development of retrieval strategies during the preschool years/     

Parents' reactions to finding out that their children have average or above average IQ scores

The parents of 41 children who had been given an individually-administered intelligence test were contacted approximately 19 months after testing. The sample included 20 parents who had learned their child had an Average IQ (children'smeanIQ = 100.8) and 21 parents who had learned their child had an Above Average IQ (children'smeanIQ = 130.0). Parents of Average IQ children were less accurate in their memory of test results, and they and their children experienced fewer positive consequences from IQ testing than Above Average children and their parents. Children with Above Average IQ experienced extremely low frequencies of sibling rivalry, conceit or pressure, and they and their parents experienced increased pride and/or self-confidence as a result of the IQ testing. The results as a whole suggest that parents of Average IQ children may need more psychological support during the parent informing process than parents of Above Average IQ children.     

Evaluation of a parent's manual for training enuretic children

An operant method of training enuretic children had previously been evaluated by direct training of the child and parent. A manual describing the method was used by 13 parents in the present study with no professional assistance. Bedwetting was reduced from its pre-treatment level of 68% of the nights to 27% during the first week. 10% during the third month and 7% the sixth month. These results closely approximated those obtained previously with direct training.     

Developmental changes in children's use of semantic information in recall

Third and seventh graders (age 9 and 13 years) were randomly assigned to three instructional groups and engaged in a sort/recall task. The instructions emphasized either (a) recall of the items, (b) meaningful organization of the items, or (c) meaningful organization and recall of the items. Regardless of instruction, seventh graders sorted 20 unrelated items into semantically-based groupings and exhibited elevated levels of recall. Third graders instructed to group items to facilitate recall formed seemingly random groupings and recalled significantly fewer items than third graders instructed to make semantically-based groupings, even when some of these latter subjects were unaware of a subsequent recall trial. The results indicated that young children are capable of adult-like organizational strategies but are unaware of their relevance to recall performance or conditions under which organization might be an appropriate strategy.     

Left-handers show greater test-retest variability in auditory and visual asymmetry

Left-right difference scores were analyzed for groups left- and right-handed subjects administered the same dichotic listening and visual half-tests on four separate days. The left-handed subjects showed greater test to test variability than the right handers for both modalities.     

Developmental trends in cue utilization for attributional judgements

Fourth through twelfth graders of both sexes were tested for developmental trends in making causal attributions for success and failure and in using past history, social comparison, and importance information in making their attributional judgements. Results suggested that basic information processing rules had already developed by the fourth grade but that children continue to develop and become more consistent in applying these rules. Sex differences indicated that girls were more defensive generally in not taking responsibility for their outcomes by attributing them externally.     

Limb apraxia and motor performance

This study was desinged to determine if motor deficits in limb apraxia are task specific. Non-brain-damaged patients and apraxic and nonapraxic patients with left hemisphere damage performed language and limb apraxia tests and six motor tasks with the left hand. Contrary to previous data, no significant group differences occurred on a finger tapping task. Although task complexity or sequencing requirements affected group differences, greatest apraxic impairment was noted on a task of precise steadiness, but only when its response inhibition requirements were increased. This pattern of deficits appears to be associated with greater involvement of the premotor area in the apraxic group.