During the past 20 years, a significant body of literature has emerged focusing on the application of Dabrowski's theory of positive disintegration (TPD) to the study of gifted individuals. Although much of this literature is prescriptive, some research reports spanning this time period are available. A perusal of research on TPD's applicability…

Three studies are reported that address the often-described impoverished creativity in children with either autism or Asperger syndrome. Findings indicated both groups were more likely to generate reality-based than imaginative ideas. Results support both the executive dysfunction and the imagination-deficit hypotheses for the observed deficiency.…

The effects of two imagery training procedures on pictograph sentence memory were examined in 66 kindergarten prereaders. Group 1 was taught in four sessions to read the pictographs, then imagine the available toys acting out the sentence meaning. Group 2 received the first two sessions as above followed by two sessions involving a modified…

While six- and nine-year-olds were as good as adults in distinguishing what they did from what they saw someone else do, children had particular trouble across a range of actions in distinguishing actual from imagined doing. All subjects recalled actions according to performer; organization by person categories reduced clustering based on action…

Considers possible links between development of empathy and some children's spontaneous creation of imaginary companions or situations, citing examples of Agatha Christie's "Autobiography." Questions if such activities show ability to "decenter emotionally." Suggests need for better methods of assessing emotional decentering…

Partially replicates Elkind and Bowen's (1979) investigation of adolescent egocentrism. Studies the relations between imaginary audience and operational thought by testing children and adolescents on a Piagetian-based written test of operational thought and the Imaginary Audience Scale. (Author/AS)

This study evaluated the use of guided imagery practice to enhance creative writing with 43 academically gifted students (stratified as either high or low creativity) in grades 3 and 4. Groups receiving the guided imagery practice (regardless of original creativity level) generated more original writing, which contained more sensory descriptions…

Examines the prospect of facilitating the discovery process for scientific researchers through anticipatory learning that is viewed as critical to the enhancement of intuitive abilities in pattern recognition among researchers. Discusses intuition, metaphorical thinking, and aesthetics as playing significant roles in the development of pattern…

Argues for an understanding of play as a flux between the imagination and attempts to test consequences of "what if" questions. Discusses leading educational theorists' views of the role of play. Suggests that school authority which reduces creative play closes off children's means of finding answers to some vocational questions. (SG)

This update of a bibliography published in Canadian Journal of Educational Communication (Fall 1982; Winter 1983) cites qualitative research seeking a more comprehensive, contextual account of children's television viewing. Specific items deal with viewing time, family role, habit modification, fright reaction, commercials, affective and language…

Compared and contrasted are the concepts intuition and logic. The ideas of conceptual thought and algorithmic thought are discussed in terms of the world as a labyrinth, intuition and time, and the structure of knowledge. (KR)

Reviews research on elementary school students' capacity for historical understanding. Suggests Piagetian theory is not applicable to historical thinking. Considers teaching approaches for developing elementary history instruction, including (1) embedding history in meaningful context; (2) use of narrative; (3) linking past and present; and (4)…