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Previous evidence suggested that greater consumption of full-fat dairy products during pregnancy and lactation were associated with lower composition of linoleic acid in breast milk (Jonsson et al. 2016; Park et al. 1999). In our previous research, we found that high linoleic acid in breast milk, driving an unbalanced ratio of n-6 to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), was associated with poorer cognitive development in children (Bernard et al. 2015; Bernard et al. 2017). Furthermore, maternal and cord red blood cells and colostrum composition in certain odd chain fatty acids (OCS-Fas), heptadecanoic (C17:0) and pentadecanoic (C15:0) acids are related to full-fat dairy products consumption. Our previous unpublished work suggested that higher tissue levels in these OCS-Fas were associated with greater cognitive scores.

GxE effects will be systematically tested, simultaneously modelled, and broadly mapped across a range of environmental measures to predict early life cognitive development.

This Registered Report has been offered in-principal acceptance (Stage 1) for the Child Development Special Section: Registered Reports in Child Development. The study will investigate German children’s (AgeRange = 3.50 - 4.50 years; NMin = 144) social cognition (Normativity, Prosociality, Theory of Mind) when engaging with puppets, adults, and other children. We will also assess their mind ascriptions across partners. Doing so, we aim to shed light on whether children treat puppets like peers (puppet-as-child hypothesis), adults (puppet-as-adult hypothesis), or neither (puppet-as-puppet hypothesis).

Child malnutrition, prevalent in many parts of the world, poses significant risks to the overall development of children. In sub-Saharan Africa, malnutrition has been reported to be a crucial factor affecting child health, with dire consequences for physical and cognitive growth. This systematic review aims to offer a comprehensive analysis of existing research on child malnutrition and its impact on physical and cognitive development.

This study aims to investigate the patterns of change in Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms and diagnoses over time. The goal is to identify types of change patterns in ADHD symptomology through a Latent Growth Curve Mixture Model (LGCM). To explain developmental trajectories, the identified typology classes will then be related to a selection of individual difference variables, or as called in machine learning terms, predictors (e.g. demographics, genetics, life events etc.) using a random forest model. In this study, we are using a large and longitudinal dataset consisting of American children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder with a usually early childhood onset. Individuals with ADHD may suffer from impairments in paying and sustaining attention, impulsive behaviors, restlessness and hyperactivity. Hyperactivity symptoms are more salient during childhood. After puberty, hyperactivity tends to lessen, and inattentiveness is more present. Of the children with ADHD, 1 in 6 will continue to have ADHD as adults (Sibley et al., 2022). However, the current literature indicates that individual ADHD experiences tend to differ between individuals through development. ADHD is diagnosed by using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5, the DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The diagnostic criteria for ADHD consist of 9 inattention symptoms and 9 hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms. When a child meets a minimum of 6 out of these 9 symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity, they may receive a predominantly hyperactive/impulsive ADHD diagnosis. The same applies to the inattention symptoms and the predominantly inattentive ADHD diagnosis. A third type is the combined ADHD diagnosis, where the child meets both the inattention and hyperactive-impulsive criteria. In addition, children must show some of the symptoms in more than one setting (e.g., classroom and at home) and before the age of 12 and there must be evident proof that the symptoms disrupt or diminish the level of social or academic performance. DSM-5 provides insight into the different types of ADHD and the severity of ADHD, but fails to capture the longitudinal changes that tend to occur in diagnostic status and subthreshold ADHD. In a longitudinal study, Sibley and colleagues (2022) tracked the ADHD trajectories of over 500 children from ages 2 to 16. They demonstrated that 63.8% of children had fluctuating ADHD, indicating that symptom patterns changed over time. Around 30% of children had periods where they were ADHD-free, but then 60% of those children had periods of recurrence. This study shed a very much needed light on the reality that ADHD is not a static disorder, on the contrary, it fluctuates over time. These important findings led us to our research question: Which individual differences variables contribute to different types of ADHD trajectories? To answer this question, we plan to use the largest longitudinal dataset that tracks the development of children, called the ABCD study. The ABCD study tracks over 11,000 children over a course of 10 years starting from ages 9-10 on, across 21 different data collection sites in the US. There are many measures from biospecimens, behavioral measures, to diagnostics. The current study is using the whole sample in order to be able to also detect possible subthreshold symptomology of ADHD.

This study aims to learn what clinical- and research-oriented neuropsychologists think about digital cognitive assessment

A considerable body of research suggests season-of-birth effects on children’s school achievements: children born in the fall outperform those born in early summer (Martin et al., 2004). These effects can be attributed to either a maturational gap upon school admission-the maturity hypothesis-or to prenatal aggressions on the central nervous system during pregnancy that are more susceptible to happen during winter (e.g., viruses, vitamin D deficiency)-the psychopathology hypothesis. Recently, Muñoz, Kartushina and Mayor (2022) reported that season-of-birth effects modulate vocabulary sizes of 12-month-olds – a result suggesting that seasonal variations on language development are present before school enrolment and hence provide support for psychopathology hypothesis. In the present project, we will evaluate further evidence supporting the psychopathology hypothesis and see whether prenatal aggressions (via vitamin D deficiency and viral exposure in the expecting mother) further modulates the association between season-of-birth and (lower) language skills. We will analyze data from the Little in Norway cohort (Moe et al. 2019; Araujo et al. 2020), a dataset collected from 2011 and which includes vitamin D levels in expecting mothers and measures of language skills in their young children, as indexed by the Bayley language test. Furthermore, geographical location of participating families will allow to further probe whether latitude of residence acts as a risk factor for lower vocabulary scores among young children – since it coincides with reduced sun exposure during winter, in turn translating into reduced vitamin D levels during pregnancy.

Evaluated effectiveness of "Succeeding with the Interview" module of "Pathways," cognitive instruction program designed to facilitate career maturity in youth with learning disabilities. Compared to two control groups, four secondary school students with learning disabilities who participated in interview module showed changes on measures of behavior, cognition, and metacognition. (Author/NB)

This study examines the development of emotion in 108 children from a small Northern California city aged 6-7, 8-9, and 10-11 years. The paper specifically examines: (1) children's beliefs about emotion management that contribute to their preinteraction expectancies; (2) the sorts of socializing messages children appear to be responding to; and (3) the kinds of cognitive representations that are available to children as they construct their naive theory of emotion. The children were individually asked a series of standardized questions about the parental reactions likely to occur when a child protagonist revealed his or her genuine emotion in eight hypothetical vignettes, and about what one could do to avoid or promote those parental reactions. Half the vignettes concerned someone who was at risk for having their feelings hurt by the protagonist's expression of genuine emotion; the other half were about a child protagonist who became vulnerable by displaying genuine emotion. The findings indicate that there were generally no age differences in children's expectations of how controlling or accepting a parent's reaction would be in both vignettes. Children selected relatively more controlling parental reactions when the protagonist's display of emotion could result in another person's becoming vulnerable or getting his or her feelings hurt. (RJC)

This profile of significant research findings comprises a framework for analyzing and synthesizing information on the cognitive development of children. The variables used to systematize the literature search were: perception; motor development; language; conceptual activity; and learning, memory, and problem solving. The findings are arranged according to these variables by age group and include author citations, the classification of research as empirical or theoretical, and the identification of source as prime or a review article. A final bibliography provides complete citations. (MLF)

In the United States, growth retardation is higher among low-income children, with adverse cognitive effects of undernutrition more prevalent when combined with poverty. This study examined anthropometric indicators of physical development and their relationship to motor and cognitive development in Head Start children. Motor integration and sequential and simultaneous memory were examined in relationship to rate of physical growth. The sample of 34 rural Head Start children was 59 percent female; 82 percent of the sample was Caucasian; 18 percent was African American. Twenty-six percent of the sample was classified as low birthweight. Anthropometric data were collected monthly. Motor and cognitive measures were administered 4 times at 10-week intervals. Mean anthropometric changes across the 9-month period were graphed. After controlling for age, analyses indicated significant increases in height, body mass index (BMI), and head circumference across the year. Boys and girls were similar on all anthropometric measures but boys' head circumference was greater. Although low-birthweight children were similar to peers in height, they weighed less, and had lower BMIs and smaller arm circumference. Analyses indicated improvement across the school year in three motor and four cognitive measures: visual motor integration, hopping-right foot, finger control, "magic window," word order, matrix analogies, and spatial memory. No cognitive differences were found between boys and girls, and motor differences were limited to girls' great skill at hopping, skipping, and finger control. Relationships between rate of physical growth and memory and motor development were explored further. (Contains 17 references.) (HTH)

Bilinguals often outperform monolinguals in nonverbal tasks of cognitive control. For example, a meta-analysis of studies that compared the performance of bilinguals and monolinguals on conflict resolution tasks (e.g., the Stroop task) revealed a moderately significant bilingual advantage (Donnelly, Brooks, & Homer, 2015). At first blush, this finding augments our understanding of far transfer effects (how practice in one domain [language] results in changes to other [non-language] domains) and may inform educational policies and social practice. However, close inspection of the empirical data yield inconclusive results. For example, the effect reported in the above meta-analysis appears to be driven by data from a single study. Furthermore, the meta-analysis also revealed a large and significant main effect of ‘lab’ (research group). The inconsistent results, combined with publication bias (de Bruin, Treccani, & Della Sala, 2015), has led many scientists (e.g., Duñabeitia & Carreiras, 2015; Klein, 2016; Paap, Johnson, & Sawi, 2016) to question whether the bilingual advantage is real or merely an artefact of particular research practices. Moreover, significant bilingual advantages have not been observed in studies with large sample sizes (see Paap, Johnson, & Sawi, 2016, for discussion). To progress beyond the controversy and advance the science, in addition to carrying out more studies, we must come up with a theory that can account for the inconsistencies in the literature and explain when, how, and why learning two or more languages improve cognitive control. This is the focus of the current project.

Two classrooms of first graders (n-40) were administered Damon's moral judgment measure, Spivack and Shure's social problems solving measure and Stanford-Binet vocabulary. Concurrently, two observers recorded in the children's school environment incidences of successful resolutions of interactions, amount of derogation, and the number of times a child was approached by peers. A positive relationship was predicted between moral development and frequency of success, proportion of success, and number of times the child was approached by others. Negative relationships were predicted between morality and frequency of unsuccessful responses, proportion of such responses, and derogation. The same predictions were made for social problem solving and the behavioral variables. Vocabulary was the disciminant cognitive variable; thus, no relationship to behavior was predicted. Results confirmed the positive relationship of the moral variable with proportion of successes and numbers of times subjects were approached by peers. Further, the predicted negative relationship between the moral variable and proportion of unsuccessful outcomes held. When vocabulary was partialed out, these relationships did not hold for social problem solving reasoning. As expected, vocabulary did not relate to competent social behavior. The results support moral judgment as an ecologically valid social cognitive construct. (Author/SS)

In 1983, the Institute of Education in Singapore started a nine-year longitudinal project funded by the Bernard van Leer Foundation in Holland to study the cognitive and social development of pre-school children in Singapore. Each phase of the project was to last 3 years. Phase One (July 1983 through June 1986) concentrated on the collection of baseline data from which possible subsequent intervention strategies would be recommended. Phase Two (July 1986 through June 1989) focuses on center-based intervention strategies. Phase Three (July 1989 through June 1992) proposes to work on the involvement of parents in center activities. Between 1983 and 1986, four data collections were carried out on a sample of pupils aged 3.5 to 6 years from 40 local preschool centers. The chosen subjects were tested on a range of language, mathematics, cognitive and social tasks. Children attending private kindergartens were generally found to score better on most tasks, especially on the English Language Tasks. On most cognitive and mathematical tasks, the gap narrowed for the older students, although this change was not demonstrated on the English Language Tasks. The results suggest that there is a strong case for intervention in English at the pre-school level for Phase Two. (RJC)

c1989

This cross-cultural study investigated methods of using drawing to develop the cognitive abilities of disadvantaged preschool children. Five teaching methods were compared in parallel programs in Tel-Aviv, Israel and Columbus, Ohio. The Traditional Method, in which materials are supplied but are not used to emphasize cognitive development was used in the control group. The four experimental groups employed the (1) Discussion Method, (2) Observation Method, (3) Touch Method, and (4) Technical Training Method to amplify what the children know of the subjects they draw, and what they can do in the drawings. The sample consisted of a total of 215 prekindergarten and 228 kindergarten children in both countries. Instruments to assess artistic development and cognitive performance were developed. Results indicate that experimental teaching methods produced significant gains while the control method did not. Methods of observation and drawing technique were most effective, and the results were generally similar for both national groups. It is concluded that (1) drawing is an effective medium for developing cognitive abilities when carefully designed methods are employed, and (2) disadvantaged children from the two countries have similar needs and potentialities. (DP)

In order to allow for formulating affective objectives in communicable terms, the Cognitive Preference Test in the Social Sciences was developed. This exploratory device, which reflects cognitive preferences in terms of students' dispositions to respond consistently to either particular or general features of data, uses multiple choice wherein 4 options (each representing a different form of cognitive preference) are provided for each of 40 social science principles. To test the 4 study hypotheses, 2 student groups were used: 1) 8th graders (some 7th graders) from the University of Illinois Social Science Curriculum Study Center (SSCSC) Project who had been taught with project-developed materials requiring inductive strategy; and, 2) master's and doctoral candidates in education who were enrolled in a course on social studies curriculum and methods. Results suggested that the test can identify student differences in cognitive preferences within a particular curriculum context. The report of the study provides a conception of cognitive preferences, a step-by-step account of test construction, empirical analyses of the test in terms of such factors as reliability and validity, recommendations for research, a bibliography, a copy of the test, and a description of the SSCSC Project. (GC)

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In modal training studies, the comparative groups differ in the use of a particular cognitive process; training to overcome the deficiency is provided for the deficient group only, and their performance is then compared to the standard set by the untrained group. Improvements are necessary in the design of training studies, as are a reconsideration of the types of skills that are the subject of training, and a serious consideration of the relation of the training and transfer tasks to the everyday functioning of the cognitive process under investigation. Specifically, an adequate training program must include the following: careful selection of the cognitive skill to be examined; sensitivity to the actual beginning competence of the learner; stringent analyses of the requirements of the training and transfer task so that transfer failures can be interpreted properly, training in multiple settings to alleviate the problem of welding, direct feedback concerning the effectiveness of the trained skill; and direct instruction concerning the generalization of the trained skills. Until a research program can provide answers to these basic questions, it is premature to conclude that retarded or deprived children and unschooled nonwestern children cannot show flexible effects of training. (DF)

Six separate studies were conducted using judgments from academic and practitioner experts to determine the knowledge structure of the Certified Financial Planner Professional Education Program (i.e., the organization of discipline topics and the relationships among them). The program consists of six sequential financial planning knowledge domains. The knowledge structure investigations were based on cognitive learning theory; the findings were designed to assist in the development of instructional materials to help learners: (1) solve domain-specific problems; (2) transfer relevant knowledge; and (3) perform successfully on certification examinations that assess complex thinking behaviors. Data were derived from surveys which required participants to rate the degree-of-content relatedness. The six studies organized the initial 175 topics into 50 key areas, based on 15,503 degree-of-content-relationship values provided by 39 experts for 2,511 topic-pair combinations. Principal components analysis techniques transformed relationship judgments into factor loadings. The findings are presented in matrices that can be used to: (1) identify and emphasize key areas in each domain; (2) determine and communicate relationships among topics; (3) specify linkages among topics; and (4) assist in designing a comprehensive review course. Eleven tables present study data, and a 47-item list of references is included. (SLD)

This essay concerns the development of cognitive and perceptual skills in children from birth to the age of nine. It surveys issues, beliefs, and information about perceptual and cognitive procedures. It discusses the issues of nature-nurture, maturation-learning, continuity-discontinuity, and critical periods. It describes the development of specific cognitive skills including conditioning; perceptual and discrimination learning; transfer; verbal learning and memory; and concept learning. The essay concludes with some generalizations. Massive changes occur in the child's intellectual capacities from birth to nine years. Children of the same age differ in learning capacities and the child's capacity varies with the way a task is presented. Children learn from systematic experience from birth onward, and many tasks routinely regarded as relatively simple by adults require capabilities that many children do not achieve until late in the age range. (DG)

This report presents research supporting the development and evaluation of the Patriot Cognitive Skills Trainer, a set of computer-based instructional modules designed to support Patriot crewmembersspecifically new Tactical Control Officers (TCO) and Tactical Control Assistants (TCA) in developing an understanding of how Patriot subject matter experts address complex and ill-defined operational problems. The research was accomplished in three phases: (a) a needs analysis and training specification, (b) training development, and (c) training validation. Findings suggest that the Patriot Cognitive Skills Trainer would be an effective training tool to enhance new TCOs and TCAs decision-making and problem solving skills as a supplement to existing instruction. In addition, the methodology used to identify decision-triggers may be applied to other Army domains to develop instruction focused on cognitive skills. Finally, this research demonstrated that it is not necessary to simulate all aspects of classified systems in order to produce viable and engaging training to support the development of cognitive skills to be applied in utilization of those systems.

This article is from Brain Sciences , volume 2 . Abstract The diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often results in chronic treatment with psychostimulants such as methylphenidate (MPH, Ritalin®). With increases in misdiagnosis of ADHD, children may be inappropriately exposed to chronic psychostimulant treatment during development. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of chronic Ritalin treatment on cognitive and neural development in misdiagnosed “normal” (Wistar Kyoto, WKY) rats and in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR), a model of ADHD. Adolescent male animals were treated for four weeks with oral Ritalin® (2 × 2 mg/kg/day) or distilled water (dH2O). The effect of chronic treatment on delayed reinforcement tasks (DRT) and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity (TH-ir) in the prefrontal cortex was assessed. Two weeks following chronic treatment, WKY rats previously exposed to MPH chose the delayed reinforcer significantly less than the dH2O treated controls in both the DRT and extinction task. MPH treatment did not significantly alter cognitive performance in the SHR. TH-ir in the infralimbic cortex was significantly altered by age and behavioural experience in WKY and SHR, however this effect was not evident in WKY rats treated with MPH. These results suggest that chronic treatment with MPH throughout adolescence in “normal” WKY rats increased impulsive choice and altered catecholamine development when compared to vehicle controls.

In today's high-intensity Air Force operations, Airmen are often required to perform demanding cognitive and physical tasks simultaneously, or in close concert (e.g., Air Force Explosive Ordinance Disposal) [1]. However, most Air Force training programs [e.g., squadron physical training (PT)] do not account for these operational requirements, and thus may not optimally instill the combined skills that are required of Airmen to perform their jobs efficiently and effectively. To address this issue, we have initiated a research and development program that seeks to create and validate specific exercises, routines, and comprehensive workout programs that integrate cognitive (brain) training with contemporary PT exercises (e.g., performing body squats while concurrently tracking incoming information to improve lower body strength and working memory capacity). This initiative is inspired by, 1) findings indicating a positive relationship between specific modes of physical exercise (e.g., agility drills and Tai Chi) and cognitive performance (e.g., attention and working memory) [2, 3], 2) growing research interest in the effects and application of brain training [4], and 3) the Air Force's stated goal of developing personalized health and human performance technologies [5]. To accomplish this, we are currently developing training exercises and routines based on knowledge of operator physical and cognitive requirements obtained from quantitative and qualitative reports, surveys and interviews. These requirements are then distilled and paired in creative and practical ways to generate exercises and workout routines that can be instantiated effectively and efficiently into daily PT sessions performed in garrison at base fitness centers, at home, or down-range. Here, we share some of the exercises and routines we have developed, describe the philosophy and theoretical framework of our initiative, and provide a glimpse into future research in this area.

In this paper, we study the agency relationship between the firm's owners and managers. We apply the theory of Cognitive Moral Development (CMD) to answer the question: What factors affect salience of the interests of the firm's owners to the managers? Using a sample of Russian managers, we found that higher levels of CMD weaken the relationship between the owners' perceived urgency and the owners' salience and strengthen the relationship between the owners' perceived power and the owners' salience. We also found that managerial CMD is positively associated with the perceived legitimacy of the owners' demands to the managers. Our results show that the higher the managers' CMD, the less applicable are the recommendations of agency theory to incentivizing and controlling the managers.

The differences in cognitive style between individuals and the effect these differences can have on second language learning have long been recognized by educators and researchers. Hence, this issue is the focal center of the present study. More precisely, the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of participants' cognitive style (field dependence vs. field independence) in their collocational knowledge development. That is, the study explored possible differences between field-dependent and field-independent learners with regard to the role of input flood treatment as an implicit method of collocation instruction. Two intact classes comprising sixty-four upper-intermediate learners with roughly the same level of language proficiency participated in this study. One class was randomly assigned to the experimental group and the other to the control group. The analysis of the data revealed that input flood treatment improved the performance of the experimental group at post-test stage. A deeper analysis concerning the differences between field-dependent/independent learners, however, indicated that this kind of teaching approach was more beneficial for field-independent learners in both short and long term. Moreover, the results of within-field-dependent/independent group showed that while input flood treatment did not have long-term effect on improving the field-dependent's knowledge of the target collocations, it had durable effect on the field-independent's collocation development.

Through the Problem Solving and Reasoning Skills Cognitive Development Model for Severely Disadvantaged Puerto Rican College Students, the Ana G. Mendez Educational Foundation developed a model for cognitive skills development for disadvantaged, low-achieving Hispanics. The program incorporates cognitive skills into existing remedial courses in Spanish and mathematics. The model was tested with lower tier entering freshmen students with less than a 2.00 high school grade point average, and College Entrance Examination Board scores under 400 in Spanish and mathematics. The final course design integrated Piagetian theory, Karplus' Learning Cycle, Whimbey's Problem Solving technique, and some of Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment strategies. Results indicated that the model is highly adaptable to Hispanic populations in and outside of Puerto Rico. It also proved to be effective with a population of disadvantaged learners that is typical of those entering most private institutions. The extensive appendices include the following: (1) a summary description of a teacher training workshop; (2) curriculum guides; (3) list of diagnostic instruments examined; (4) a student survey questionnaire (in Spanish); (5) letters of interest in the program from two colleges; (6) a symposium program on Puerto Ricans and the humanities (in Spanish); (7) the 47-page external evaluation report; (8) a form for requesting additional information; and (9) a list of related documents. A financial status report is supplied separately. (Author/FMW)

This action research project devised a program designed to increase the use of visual elements in middle school core subjects and assessed its impact on student recall, teacher awareness, and use of visual/spatial elements. Observation, surveys, and interviews documented teachers' and students' limited knowledge and use of visual/spatial elements such as visualization, color cues, picture metaphor, idea sketching, and graphic symbols. Results of the Stroop Color Word Test administered to students documented the over-emphasis on verbal/linguistic intelligences. The intervention consisted of one 3-week unit on American Indians, which was taught in two content areas simultaneously, using learning activities that encouraged skills such as visualization, color cues, picture metaphors, idea sketching, and graphic symbols. A research group of fifth graders in one middle school who participated in the program was compared to a control group of fifth graders who had the social studies unit with no corresponding art unit. Evaluation results indicated that students in the research group performed better on a knowledge test and showed a positive impact on the Stroop Effect. Teachers indicated an increase in the use of visual/spatial elements in core subjects. Appendices include teacher surveys, photographs of student projects, examples of student writing, and sample class materials. (Contains 21 references.) (KB)

In this article we explored the theories of Arnold Gesell, Erik Erickson and Jean Piaget about how human beings development. In this component we will analyze the cognitive processes of how children perceive and develop, in particular children from a cross-cultural background. How learning takes place, and how the influences of culture, and environment plays a role in the cognitive process of children's development. It deals with a more mathematical theory of development. This is a timely article to read for the 21st century.

This study used a sample of 3- and 4-year-old children of female respondents from the 1986 National Longitudinal Surveys Youth Cohort to analyze the relationship between maternal labor supply and children's cognitive development. Respondents were 21 to 29 years old in 1986. Thus, the sample consisted of children of relatively young mothers. Findings indicated that the impact of maternal labor supply depended on when the labor occurred. Maternal employment was found to have a negative impact when it occurred during the first year of the child's life and a potentially offsetting positive effect when it occurred during the second and subsequent years. Although there was some evidence that boys were more sensitive to maternal labor supply than girls, the gender difference was not significant. The negative first-year effect was not mitigated to any great extent by the increased maternal income that accompanied it. However, the increase in maternal income did appear to play an important role in producing a positive effect in the second and later years. A total of 18 references, and 60 working papers of the National Bureau of Economic Research, are cited. (Author/RH)

Adult literacy program outcomes have been disappointing. A number of principals and methods from cognitive and neuropsychological research can be used to make literacy instruction more effective, including the following: improving cognitive function; fast reading; reading practice; literacy as a motivator; and improving use of class time. Cognitive science has been used to understand how literacy shapes the neural system for spoken and written language and to use this information to improve literacy instruction. Research has been done in the areas of human evolution, cognitive limitations of unschooled people, efficient reading skills, reading comprehension, memory, phonological awareness, perceptual learning, and health issues. Materials, methodology and teacher preparation determine how much people learn and retain. Issues that affect literacy learning include, course duration, textbook contents, teacher selection, and social benefits. Governments need to determine whether increased costs of more scientifically based literacy training are worth the benefits. Additional research is needed to determine which methods are more effective and how costs and benefits compare. (Contains the results of a research study in adult literacy, a description of literacy tests, a learner questionnaire, an extensive bibliography and an index.)(SLR)

This study examined the science process skill of prediction problem solving using naturalistic research methodology and information-processing theory. The think-aloud interview led to the identification of several specific program exploration and prediction behaviors. A total of 14 high school biology students made predictions concerning the effects of the independent variables upon dependent variables through time using a computer simulation on water pollution. Students were identified according to initial knowledge of the subject matter and success at solving three selected prediction problems. Successful predictors generally had high initial knowledge of the subject matter and were formal. Unsuccessful predictors generally had low initial knowledge of the subject matter and were concrete. High initial knowledge seemed to be more important to predictive success than stage of Piagetian cognitive development. Behavioral tendencies between successful and unsuccessful predictors over all stages of the learning sequence and between stage one and stage three predictions were compared. Implications for problem-solving theory, cognitive development, and science teaching were discussed. (Author/YP)

This is a study of the kinds of processes involved in learning the meaning of individual lexical items, and in particular how the acquisition of lexical meaning is related to the cognitive structuring of events on the one hand and the ability to produce syntactic paraphrases of a word's meaning and other related constructions on the other. It is proposed that errors involving the use of noncausative verbs in a causative sense come about through inference of a derivational or inclusive relationship between causative verbs and their noncausative counterparts and through a generalization by analogy with these causative verbs. It is further argued that when a child first begins to use causative verbs, they are essentially unanalyzed forms, i.e., the child uses a linguistic form without being aware of its internal structure. The evidence that unanalyzed forms have been analyzed is the creation of novel forms which are made up of same or similar components combined according to the same rules. Thus, a fundamental distinction is made between cognitive knowledge and knowledge of a linguistic structure. (AM)

This is a study of the kinds of processes involved in learning the meaning of individual lexical items, and in particular how the acquisition of lexical meaning is related to the cognitive structuring of events on the one hand and the ability to produce syntactic paraphrases of a word's meaning and other related constructions on the other. It is proposed that errors involving the use of noncausative verbs in a causative sense come about through inference of a derivational or inclusive relationship between causative verbs and their noncausative counterparts and through a generalization by analogy with these causative verbs. It is further argued that when a child first begins to use causative verbs, they are essentially unanalyzed forms, i.e., the child uses a linguistic form without being aware of its internal structure. The evidence that unanalyzed forms have been analyzed is the creation of novel forms which are made up of same or similar components combined according to the same rules. Thus, a fundamental distinction is made between cognitive knowledge and knowledge of a linguistic structure. (AM)

This is a study of the kinds of processes involved in learning the meaning of individual lexical items, and in particular how the acquisition of lexical meaning is related to the cognitive structuring of events on the one hand and the ability to produce syntactic paraphrases of a word's meaning and other related constructions on the other. It is proposed that errors involving the use of noncausative verbs in a causative sense come about through inference of a derivational or inclusive relationship between causative verbs and their noncausative counterparts and through a generalization by analogy with these causative verbs. It is further argued that when a child first begins to use causative verbs, they are essentially unanalyzed forms, i.e., the child uses a linguistic form without being aware of its internal structure. The evidence that unanalyzed forms have been analyzed is the creation of novel forms which are made up of same or similar components combined according to the same rules. Thus, a fundamental distinction is made between cognitive knowledge and knowledge of a linguistic structure. (AM)

Relates Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development to the range of development in Lave and Wenger's communities of practice model in terms of the roles and stages of cognitive apprenticeship. Discusses applications in adult vocational education and on-the-job training. Contains 32 references. (SK)

Cognitive development

In a continuing description of a Head Start longitudinal study, analyses are presented of the interrelationships among individual measures of the child's performances prior to school entry, accompanied by brief descriptions of the tasks and the scores used. Despite the size and extensiveness of the data base, the findings are considered tentative until further data is collected on socio-cultural determinants, developmental trends, and other interrelationships. This report describes the interrelationships among certain cognitive, perceptual, and personal-social behaviors of the children, age 4, in the first year of the study as assessed by the initial test battery. Chapters of the report include characteristics of the sample, methodology, results and discussion, and conclusions. Structural analyses of the Year 1 child test data yielded 1) a general ability dimension (i.e., information-processing skills) cutting across contents and operations sampled in the cognitive test battery, and 2) a stylistic response tempo dimension. Descriptions of each of the individual child measures are presented in the appendices, which comprise about half the report. (LH)

A second year of experimental research on young children examined the instructional power of television in facilitating the acquisition of cognitive skills. In addition, researchers investigated the efficiency of an instructional support system designed to maximize the results of educational television. Subjects were three- to five-year-old Native American children attending Head Start centers on the Papago Reservation in Arizona. The four experimental studies undertaken demonstrated that programed television presentations can influence complex cognitive capabilities in preschool children. Sequentially structured televised instruction based on social learning principles was differentially effective for different cognitive tasks and for different age groups. It was concluded that with a skill such as seriation where perceptual cues are clear, TV modeling of the rules and strategies may be sifficient to teach the concept. Enumeration and conservation skills showed a gradient 0-age-related additive value attributable to direct instruction designed to supplement the TV presentations. One implication of these results was that, in general, a single approach in programing may not be equally effective for the teaching of all kinds of conceptual rules, and direct instruction may be necessary to supplement televised instruction for young children. (CH)

This Child Development Associate (CDA) training module is intended to teach CDA interns how to provide classroom experiences that promote basic mathematics skills in preschool children. Knowledge of relationships of objects in space, grouping of objects, teaching of number names and counting, and the use of math games are discussed. The trainee is encouraged to learn how to plan and develop lessons, games, activities and environmental conditions to teach about objects and their location in space. Both teacher and trainee materials are provided in the module. Teacher materials consist of directions for pre-testing and field supervision, a resource person activity list and directions for each student activity. Trainee materials include pre- and post-tests, an activity record, a glossary, directions and 17 lessons. (Author/RH)

This Child Development Associate (CDA) training module is intended to teach CDA interns how to provide classroom experiences that promote basic mathematics skills in preschool children. Knowledge of relationships of objects in space, grouping of objects, teaching of number names and counting, and the use of math games are discussed. The trainee is encouraged to learn how to plan and develop lessons, games, activities and environmental conditions to teach about objects and their location in space. Both teacher and trainee materials are provided in the module. Teacher materials consist of directions for pre-testing and field supervision, a resource person activity list and directions for each student activity. Trainee materials include pre- and post-tests, an activity record, a glossary, directions and 17 lessons. (Author/RH)

This Child Development Associate (CDA) training module is intended to teach CDA interns how to provide classroom experiences that promote basic mathematics skills in preschool children. Knowledge of relationships of objects in space, grouping of objects, teaching of number names and counting, and the use of math games are discussed. The trainee is encouraged to learn how to plan and develop lessons, games, activities and environmental conditions to teach about objects and their location in space. Both teacher and trainee materials are provided in the module. Teacher materials consist of directions for pre-testing and field supervision, a resource person activity list and directions for each student activity. Trainee materials include pre- and post-tests, an activity record, a glossary, directions and 17 lessons. (Author/RH)

This project aims to investigate the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on cognitive abilities in twins from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) dataset. ACEs are defined as traumatic events that occur during childhood, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Research has suggested that ACEs have a negative impact on outcomes including mental health, physical health, and academic achievement (Iob et al., 2021; Hardcastle et al., 2018; Halpin et al., 2022). However, their relationship with cognitive abilities remains less clear. A composite measure for ACEs can be operationalised using family measures such as negative parental feelings, maternal depression, parental divorce, separation from parents, bullying, emotional abuse, and physical abuse. The selection of these measures is based on the definition of ACEs proposed by McLaughlin and Sheridan (2016). This measure is based on exposure to these ACEs between the ages of 3 and 11 measured using both prospective and retrospectively collected information, reported by the participants and their parents. Composite measures of general cognitive ability will be assessed at 7, 12, 16, and 18 years and correlated with ACE effects at each age. The project will use a longitudinal design, with data from twins at multiple ages used to assess the impact of ACEs on general cognitive ability. Data will be analysed using a multiple regression to assess the effects of the participants’ ACEs on their general cognitive ability over time using the composite scores created for both variables. The study will control for genetic predisposition for general cognitive ability using polygenic scores. These findings will contribute to our understanding of the relationship between ACEs and cognitive. They also may have important implications for policy and practice in the fields of education, psychology, and child welfare. For example, if a significant effect of ACEs is observed on cognitive abilities, children recognised as having experienced ACEs could receive special attention in educational settings and helped with building resilience to potentially reduce this effect, and thus aid in long-term outcomes.

This report is a review of Olson's "Cognitive Development." Unlike a typical book review it does not compare and contrast the author's theoretical framework and methodological practices with those of others in the field, but rather it extensively describes and critiques the reported empirical work. The reasons given for this approach are that Olson's empirical practices are of interest in their own right, and alternative interpretations sometimes arise from a careful reading of Olson's procedures. "Cognitive Development" bears on a variety of issues germane to the design and development of instructional systems. Olson extensively studied the concept of diagonality using American and Canadian children aged 3 to 6, whose acquisition of the concept was compared with that of Kenyon children of two tribes, aged 5 to 13. A subject typically was required to construct a discretely-formed diagonal on a matrix, under various antecedent and criterion conditions. Olson describes findings in the context of relevant literature. (BW/Author)

This study contrasted the science-related cognitive skill attainment of children experiencing high and low individualized science programs. In addition, skill development was compared between open space schools and conventional schools. A total of 903 fifth-grade pupils from seven schools were given a short revision of the Bristol Study Skills Test and a Student Questionnaire. Concurrently, teachers were given two instruments that would report their instructional practices and open classroom beliefs. The analysis of the results indicated that students experiencing high individualized science programs perform significantly better on the first four parts of the Bristol. The multivariate analysis of covariance statistically controlled for the effect of parents' educational level and unique classroom effects. Students in open space schools likewise scored significantly higher on science-related cognitive skills than students attending conventional schools. Analysis of subgroup results (i.e., school, sex, and race) were also reported. Relationships between teachers' open classroom beliefs and their instructional practices were negligible. A similar finding was reported between student cognitive performance and teachers' open classroom beliefs. (Author/MH)

This study contrasted the science-related cognitive skill attainment of children experiencing high and low individualized science programs. In addition, skill development was compared between open space schools and conventional schools. A total of 903 fifth-grade pupils from seven schools were given a short revision of the Bristol Study Skills Test and a Student Questionnaire. Concurrently, teachers were given two instruments that would report their instructional practices and open classroom beliefs. The analysis of the results indicated that students experiencing high individualized science programs perform significantly better on the first four parts of the Bristol. The multivariate analysis of covariance statistically controlled for the effect of parents' educational level and unique classroom effects. Students in open space schools likewise scored significantly higher on science-related cognitive skills than students attending conventional schools. Analysis of subgroup results (i.e., school, sex, and race) were also reported. Relationships between teachers' open classroom beliefs and their instructional practices were negligible. A similar finding was reported between student cognitive performance and teachers' open classroom beliefs. (Author/MH)

Reported is an experiment undertaken to determine the extent to which analytic and global cognitive styles differed in developing or utilizing a selection type strategy in concept identification. Using the Hidden Figures Test (HFT) in five sections of an introductory psychology class, two groups of students, one analytical and one global, were chosen to participate. Each group contained 10 male and 10 female students. After specific instructions, students were asked to solve several concept identification problems. A 2 x 2 x 8 repeated measure analysis of variance was performed with the variables of sex, cognitive style and blocks of study. Analyses were performed on the trials to solution, focusing strategy scores, and duplicate hypotheses. Results showed the effect of cognitive style was significant at the .01 level, favoring analytic style. Analyses of the effect of blocks was significant at the .01 level. There was a greater tendency for the analytic group to use a focusing strategy. Analysis of the mean number of duplicate hypotheses indicated that the cognitive style was significant at the .01 level. Analytic students had a mean of .10, the global students mean was .19. (Author/EB)