推理方向与规则维度对儿童因果推理的影响

采用Frye和Zelazo等（1996）所设计的“二进二出”装置（斜面滚球装置），设置了不同的推理方向、规则维度的因果推理任务，采用个别实验法，研究了60名3.5～4.5岁儿童因果推理能力的发展。结果发现：（1）儿童在不同方向的因果推理任务上成绩差异显著，因→果推理成绩要好于果→因推理；（2）不同维度下儿童的推理成绩有极显著的差异性，一维的因果推理更容易，三维合取规则的因果推理任务更难；（3）3.5～4岁左右是儿童因果推理能力发展的快速期。

EFFECT OF RULE DIMENSIONS AND REASONING DIRECTION ON CHILDREN'S CAUSAL REASONING

This experiment studied the development of causal reasoning in 66 3.5- to 4.5-year-olds using a ramp apparatus with two input holes and two output holes (Frye et al., 1995). Results revealed that (1) children performed better on cause-effect inferences than on effect-cause inferences; (2) there was an effect of rule complexity such that uni-dimensional causal inferences were easier than bi-dimensional inferences which, in turn, were easier than tri-dimensional causal inferences; and (3) children's causal reasoning develops rapidly between the ages of age of 3.5 to 4 years.