The cognitive foundations of reading and arithmetic skills in 7- to 10-year-olds

A range of possible predictors of arithmetic and reading were assessed in a large sample (N=162) of children between ages 7 years 5 months and 10 years 4 months. A confirmatory factor analysis of the predictors revealed a good fit to a model consisting of four latent variables (verbal ability, nonverbal ability, search speed, and phonological memory) and two manifest variables (digit comparison and phoneme deletion). A path analysis showed that digit comparison and verbal ability were unique predictors of variations in arithmetic skills, whereas phoneme deletion and verbal ability were unique predictors of variations in reading skills. These results confirm earlier findings that phoneme deletion ability appears to be a critical foundation for learning to read (decode). In addition, variations in the speed of accessing numerical quantity information appear to be a critical foundation for the development of arithmetic skills.     

小学一～三年级儿童加减法策略选择的发展特点研究

随机选取90名小学一～三年级的儿童为被试,采用实验法和访谈法对儿童解决加减法算术题的策略发展特点进行了探讨。结果发现:1儿童能运用多种策略解决加减法算术题,在解决两个数的算术题时用到了13种策略,在解决三个数的算术题时用到了8种策略。2儿童在解决同一道题时大多能同时运用两种或两种以上的策略。3随着年龄的增长,儿童使用策略的总目呈简约化发展的趋势。4在解决两个数的算术题时,不同年级的儿童在使用出声策略、拆十策略、手势策略、逆算策略、数数策略的次数上差异显著,随着年级的增长其使用频率逐渐降低。5儿童在解决三个数的算术题时,各年级儿童使用出声策略、手势策略、对位策略差异显著,随着年级的增长其使用频率逐渐增高。     

A Review of the Effects of Interspersing Procedures on the Stages of Academic Skill Development

Basic and applied research related to the effects of interspersing trials of maintenance (i.e., review) tasks among trials of acquisition tasks on academic skill development is reviewed. In general, empirical research suggests that interspersing procedures are effective in facilitating acquisition, learning rate, and maintenance. However, some inconsistency exists among the data that suggests student learning, in some instances, may be impeded. Research also suggests that interspersing procedures are not conducive to facilitating generalization. The discrepancy between various research findings and the consistent failure of research on interspersing procedures to increase generalization is critically reviewed in relation to a hierarchical learning theory set forth by Haring and Eaton (1978). From this hierarchical learning theory perspective, inconsistent results may be better understood and predicted. Implications for current practice and directions for future research are also discussed.     

Schizophrenia and the Developmental Moratorium

Jay B. Sisun is a Clinical Research Assistant at Taunton State Hospital. Glen A. Eskedal is the Chair and Professor of Education and Human Services at Suffolk University. Of challenge to developmental psychologists and mental health practitioners is the management of positive and negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia and their effects on mastering psychosocial developmental tasks. The intent of this article is to provide specific information pertinent to understanding this disorder, to understand the age-appropriate struggle for individuation, and to offer recommendations for effective treatment.     

Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) calves appear to model their signature whistles on the signature whistles of community members

Bottlenose dolphins are unusual among non-human mammals in their ability to learn new sounds. This study investigates the importance of vocal learning in the development of dolphin signature whistles and the influence of social interactions on that process. We used focal animal behavioral follows to observe six calves in Sarasota Bay, Fla., recording their social associations during their first summer, and their signature whistles during their second. The signature whistles of five calves were determined. Using dynamic time warping (DTW) of frequency contours, the calves signature whistles were compared to the signature whistles of several sets of dolphins: their own associates, the other calves associates, Tampa Bay dolphins, and captive dolphins. Whistles were considered similar if their DTW similarity score was greater than those of 95% of the whistle comparisons. Association was defined primarily in terms of time within 50 m of the mother/calf pair. On average, there were six dolphins with signature whistles similar to the signature whistles of each of the calves. These were significantly more likely to be Sarasota Bay resident dolphins than non-Sarasota dolphins, and (though not significantly) more likely to be dolphins that were within 50 m of the mother and calf less than 5% of the time. These results suggest that calves may model their signature whistles on the signature whistles of members of their community, possibly community members with whom they associate only rarely.     

我国小学生品德发展关键期研究的述评与展望

关于小学生品德发展关键期的研究是德育心理学研究领域的重要的组成部分之一。本文综述了国内20多年的研究资料,探讨了我国小学生品德发展的关键期、测查工具,阐述了研究中存在的不足,并提出了研究的思路和方向。     

Religious Activity and Risk Behavior Among African American Adolescents: Concurrent and Developmental Effects

This study examines how religious activity is associated with risk behaviors, concurrently and developmentally among urban African American adolescents. Seven hundred and five African American youths were interviewed annually during high school. Retention rates for the study exceeded 90%. Frequency of religious activity, sexual intercourse, and alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use were assessed at each wave. Growth curve analyses found negative concurrent associations between religious activity and each of the four risk behaviors. The developmental effects of religious activity varied by gender. Higher levels of religious activity in 9th grade predicted smaller increases in marijuana use among males and cigarette use among females. In addition, larger decreases in religious activity during high school were associated with greater increases in alcohol use among males and sexual intercourse among females. During high school, religious activity limits the development of certain types of risk behavior among African American youth, even after controlling for reciprocal effects.     

Child Maltreatment and Emergent Personality Organization: Perspectives from the Five-Factor Model

The Five-Factor Model was used to examine personality organization in 211 six-year-old children (135 maltreated and 76 nonmaltreated). Longitudinal assessments were conducted at ages 7, 8, and 9. Six-year-old maltreated children exhibited lower agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience and higher neuroticism than did nonmaltreated children. Maltreated children also were more frequently represented in less adaptive personality clusters than were their nonmaltreated counterparts. A particularly vulnerable profile occurred predominantly among maltreated children and was related to experiencing both abuse and neglect. Child maltreatment and personality clusters were related to individual differences perceived by peers. Longitudinal stability of the personality dimensions also was assessed. At age nine, evidence was found for maintenance of the organization of the personality clusters obtained at age six and for continuity of maltreated children's personality liabilities.     

小学2～4年级儿童数学应用题表征策略差异的研究

本研究运用实验法和临床访谈法对某普通小学的123名2～4年级学生进行了数学应用题测验,以考察数学学优生和学差生在解决比较应用题时表征策略的差异。结果表明:(1)从2～4年级儿童解答一致和不一致应用题上看,学优生较多地使用问题模型策略对问题进行表征,学差生较多地使用直接转换策略对问题进行表征;(2)除学差女生的解题正确率低于学差男生的正确率,学差女生自我报告中直接转换策略的使用多于学差男生外,在其它方面,性别差异并不显著;(3)随着年级的升高,学优生在使用问题模型策略上越来越成熟,学差生并没有学会使用更加有效的问题模型表征策略,仍然停留在直接转换策略上,但他们在关于策略使用的认识上有所提高。     

Teaching business ethics to professional engineers

Without question “business ethics” is one of the hot topics of the day. Over the past months we have seen business after business charged with improper practices that violate commonly-accepted ethical norms. This has led to a loss of confidence in corporate management, and has had severe economic consequences. From many quarters business educators have heard the call to put more emphasis on ethical practices in their business courses and curricula. Engineering educators are also heeding this call, since the practice of engineering usually involves working for (or leading) a business and/or engaging in business transactions. In the summer of 2002, Auburn University’s Engineering Professional Development program made the decision to produce—based on the author’s Executive MBA course in Business Ethics—a distance-delivered continuing education program for professional engineers and surveyors. Participants across the USA now may use the course to satisfy continuing education requirements with respect to professional licensing and certification. This paper outlines the purpose and content of the course and describes its production, distribution, application, and evaluation. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the “Ethics and Social Responsibility in Engineering and Technology” meeting, New Orleans, 2003.