Showing papers on "Verbal reasoning published in 1982"

Reasoning, learning, and action

Abstract: This article presents a review of the book "Reasoning, Learning and Action," by Chris Argyris.

The psychology of deductive reasoning

Abstract: Acknowledgements. 1 Introduction Part 1: Elementary Reasoning Tasks 2 Theoretical Background 3 Sentence Verification 4 Transitive Inference Part 2: Syllogistic Reasoning 5 An Introduction to Syllogistic Reasoning 6 The Experimental Psychology of Syllogisms Part 3: Propositional Reasoning 7 An Introduction to Propositional Reasoning 8 Conditional Reasoning 9 The Wason Selection Task 10 Disjunctive Reasoning Part 4: Discussion 11 On Explaining the Results of Reasoning Experiments 12 Dual Processes and Beyond. References. Name Index. Subject Index.

Systematic and metasystematic reasoning: A case for levels of reasoning beyond Piaget's stage of formal operations.

Abstract: COMMONS, MICHAEL L.; RICHARDS, FRANCIS A.; and KUHN, DEANNA. Systematic and Metasystematic Reasoning: A Case for Levels of Reasoning beyond Piaget's Stage of Formal Operations. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1982, 53, 1058-1069. Modes of cognition are postulated consisting of thirdand fourth-order operations; they are hypothesized to be qualitatively distinct from, and hierarchically related to, the form of reasoning characterized as formal operational by Inhelder and Piaget. An instrument was developed to assess these modes of cognition, labeled systematic and metasystematic reasoning, and was administered to 110 undergraduate and graduate students. The results support the assertion that systematic and metasystematic reasoning exist as modes of cognition discrete from, and more complex and powerful than, formal operational reasoning.

The nature of advanced reasoning and science instruction

Abstract: Although the development of reasoning is recognized as an important goal of science instruction, its nature remains somewhat of a mystery. This article discusses two key questions: Does formal thought constitute a structured whole? And what role does propositional logic play in advanced reasoning? Aspects of a model of advanced reasoning are presented in which hypothesis generation and testing are viewed as central processes in intellectual development. It is argued that a number of important advanced reasoning schemata are linked by these processes and should be made a part of science instruction designed to improve students' reasoning abilities. Concerning students' development and use of formal reasoning, Linn (1982) calls for research into practical issues such as the roles of task-specific knowledge and individual differences in performance, roles not emphasized by Piaget in his theory and research. From a science teacher's point of view, this is good advice. Accordingly, this article will expand upon some of the issues raised by Linn in a discussion of the nature of advanced reasoning which attempts to reconcile the apparent contradiction between students' differential use of advanced reasoning schemata in varying contexts with the notion of a general stage of formal thought. Two key questions will be discussed: Does formal thought constitute a structured whole? And what role does propositional logic play in advanced reasoning? The underlying assumption of the present discussion is that, among other things, science instruction should concern itself with the improvement of students' reasoning abilities (cf. Arons, 1976; Arons & Karplus, 1976; Bady, 1979; Bauman, 1976; Educational Policies Commission, 1966; Herron, 1978; Karplus, 1979; Kohlberg & Mayer, 1972; Moshman & Thompson, 1981; Lawson, 1979; Levine & linn, 1977; Pallrand, 1977; Renner & Lawson, 1973; Sayre & Ball, 1975; Schneider & Renner, 1980; Wollman, 1978). The questions are of interest because to date they lack clear answers, yet clear answers are necessary if we hope to design effective instruction in reasoning.

Concomitants of Playfulness in Early Childhood: Cognitive Abilities and Gender

Abstract: Summary Previous research has noted a corresponding relationship between young children's play and divergent thinking ability. This research confounds intelligence factors and divergent thought processes and does not take into account sex differences, which have been shown to be pervasive in preschool children's play patterns. This original research is replicated with 92 preschool children who are rated on five components of playfulness, and then administered a battery of standardized tests assessing verbal intelligence and divergent thinking ability. Results were consistent with those found in the original investigation, yet differences emerged when the intelligence factor was partitioned from the analysis. Sex differences were found to mediate this result, with girls showing a positive relationship between play and divergent thinking and boys showing an inverse, and in some cases, absence of a relationship.

Theoretical and practical significance of formal reasoning

Abstract: Piaget's theory has profoundly influenced science education research. Following Piaget, researchers have focused on content-free strategies, developmentally based mechanisms, and structural models of each stage of reasoning. In practice, factors besides those considered in Piaget's theory influence whether or not a theoretically available strategy is used. Piaget's focus has minimized the research attention placed on what could be called “practical” factors in reasoning. Practical factors are factors that influence application of a theoretically available strategy, for example, previous experience with the task content, familiarity with task instructions, or personality style of the student. Piagetian theory has minimized the importance of practical factors and discouraged investigation of (1) the role of factual knowledge in reasoning, (2) the diagnosis of specific, task-based errors in reasoning, (3) the influence of individual aptitudes on reasoning (e.g., field dependence-independence), and (4) the effect of educational interventions designed to change reasoning. This article calls for new emphasis on practical factors in reasoning and suggests why research on practical factors in reasoning will enhance our understanding of how scientific reasoning is acquired and of how science education programs can foster it.

Developmental and Individual Differences in Verbal Analogical Reasoning.

Abstract: GOLDMAN, SUSAN R.; PELLEGRINO, JAMES W.; PARSEGHIAN, PATRICIA; and SALLIS, RrrA. Developmental and Individual Differences in Verbal Analogical Reasoning. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1982, 53, 550-559. Two studies were conducted with 8and 10-year-old children to examine sources of age and skill differences in verbal analogical reasoning. Multiple tasks related to a model of analogy solution were used to derive outcome measures for information processing in the stem and alternative set of typical verbal items. Developmental and individual differences were a function of (a) the probability of successful execution of initial inference and application processes, (b) resistance to distractor interference, and (c) recognition of correct answers given incorrect prior inference and application. Processes which involve sets of relations contributed more to skill differences than inference processes on single pairs of terms. More skilled reasoners, regardless of age, were also better able to verbalize the constraints inherent to analogical reasoning. The pattern of age and skill differences is discussed in terms of the child's problem space for the analogy task and possible differences in task understanding that lead to strategy and process differences in older vs. younger and skilled vs. less skilled reasoners.

Differences in mental representations spontaneously adopted for reasoning.

Abstract: Retrospective reporting was used to show that people spontaneously adopt different mental representations for reasoning. In two experiments, subjects solved a large number of threeterm series reasoning problems and then gave retrospective reports (verbal protocols, drawings, and forced-choice strategy selections) about their solutions. A majority of subjects’ reports could be classified reliably into two groups. One group (abstract directional thinkers) claimed to construct a mental ordering of the three geometric figures used as the terms in the problems. A second group (concrete properties thinkers) claimed to attribute physical properties to mental geometric objects. In both experiments, abstract directional thinkers made few errors and were sensitive to the number of pivot-first premises in a problem. Concrete properties thinkers made more errors and were sensitive to the use of inverse relations and the number of alternations between a relation and its inverse as a problem was read. Quantitative models of the two kinds of reasoning are presented. Implications are discussed concerning theories of reasoning, tests of reasoning, and the usefulness of retrospective reporting as a general method.

Cognitive Differentiation and Verbal Intelligence: Clarifying Relationships

Abstract: This study principally explored the interrelationship of Crockett's (1965) Role Category Questionnaire (RCQ) measure of cognitive differentiation with various measures of verbal intelligence in ord...

The role of new and old information in the verbal expression of language-disordered children.

Abstract: The present study used an experimental method to investigate the marking of new mad old information in the verbal expression of language-disordered children beyond the one-word stage. The results s...

A factor analytic study of the construct validity of the verbal concept attainment test.

Abstract: The present study investigated the construct validity of the Verbal Concept Attainment Test (VCAT) by examining its relationship to other neuropsychological and reasoning tasks It was found that the VCAT correlated highly with both the Similarities and Vocabulary subtests of the WAIS It was suggested that the VCAT measures both verbal reasoning and verbal intelligence Further, a high correlation was also found with both Verbal IQ and Performance IQ which indicated that the VCAT may also be regarded as a test of general intelligence The relationship of the VCAT to several neuropsychological tests was also investigated It was found that the VCAT correlated well with most of the neuropsychological tests employed In addition, the strength of the correlation between each measure and the VCAT closely paralleled the strength of the correlation with the Impairment Index from the Halstead-Reitan Battery These findings indicate that the VCAT may have some value in clinical neuropsychological assessment

Does the WISC‐R measure verbal intelligence for nonenglish‐speaking children?

Abstract: Zarske, Moore, and Petersen's (1981) article that examined the factor structure of the WISC-R for “diagnosed learning disabled” children was critiqued. These authors concluded that the WISC-R “is an appropriate measure of general intellectual abilities” (p.407), but the present author suggests that this conclusion does not follow from their factor analytic data. The makeup of the sample also is questioned, and implications of their findings for the practitioner are discussed.

Is There a Form of Verbal Thought Specific to Childhood

Abstract: The view that children's thought differs from adult thought not only quantitatively but also qualitatively is one of the basic tenets of contemporary child psychology, tracing its beginnings to the early works of Piaget. In numerous studies by Piaget, Vygotsky, Bruner, and their colleagues and followers, the specific qualitative transformations that take place in the ontogeny of verbal thought have been demonstrated. In particular, in one of his first books, Piaget [17] describes in detail phenomena such as realism, animism, and artificialism, which are specific to the verbal thought of a child and which, according to Piaget, do not occur in adult reasoning. Vygotsky [2] studied, theoretically and empirically, the qualitative peculiarities of the units of verbal reasoning at different stages of ontogeny.

Relationship between the expressive one‐word picture vocabulary test and measures of intelligence, receptive vocabulary, and visual‐motor coordination in borderline and mildly retarded children

Abstract: Analysis of the relationship between the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test and Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, and three language subscales within the Stanford-Binet was performed on a sample of preschool children within the borderline and mildly retarded ranges of intelligence. Adequate convergent and discriminant validity indices were found to support tentatively the use of the Expressive One-Word Test as one measure of verbal intelligence with this population.

Two Models of Syllogistic Reasoning: An Empirical Comparison.

Abstract: Two theories of logical processing are compared in this study. The Atmosphere Effect, originating in the psychology of reasoning, predicts errors in deductive reasoning based on matching certain features of the premises with features of the conclusion. The Logical Ambiguity Hypothesis, originating in communication theory, predicts reasoning errors on the basis of internal set representations of the relationships implied by the premises. In a series of eight separate tests of the two theories, the Atmosphere Effect was significantly more successful than the Ambiguity Hypothesis in predicting the most likely responses to premise pairs.

Does the WISC-R Measure Verbal Intelligence for Nonenglish-Speaking Children: A Critique and Response.

Abstract: Zarske, Moore, and Petersen's (1981) article that examined the factor structure of the WISC-R for “diagnosed learning disabled” children was critiqued. These authors concluded that the WISC-R “is an appropriate measure of general intellectual abilities” (p.407), but the present author suggests that this conclusion does not follow from their factor analytic data. The makeup of the sample also is questioned, and implications of their findings for the practitioner are discussed.