This study brought together 2 literatures--gesturing and executive function--in order to examine the possible role of gesture in children's executive function. Children (N = 41) aged 2½-6 years performed a sorting-shift executive function task (Dimensional Change Card Sort). Responses of interest included correct sorting, response latency,…

This study examined age-related changes in complex executive function (EF) in a large, representative sample (N=2036) aged 5 to 17 using the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS; Naglieri & Das, 1997a). Relations between complex EF and academic achievement were examined on a sub-sample (N = 1395) given the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of…

This review article examines theoretical and methodological issues in the construction of a developmental perspective on executive function (EF) in childhood and adolescence. Unlike most reviews of EF, which focus on preschoolers, this review focuses on studies that include large age ranges. It outlines the development of the foundational…

Research and theorizing on executive function (EF) in childhood has been disproportionately focused on preschool age children. This review paper outlines the importance of examining EF throughout childhood, and even across the lifespan. First, examining EF in older children can address the question of whether EF is a unitary construct. The…

A developmental progression in 6-, 8-, and 10-year-old children's use of strategies for gathering information was revealed in a study involving partial recall, total recall, and similarity/difference judgments. When subjects chose stimuli for exposure from an array, older children showed more ability to match strategy to task demands. Strategy…

Preschool and kindergarten nonconservers (N=114) were examined for their use of dimensions relevant to quantity in two conservation-of-substance tasks. The results were interpreted as being counter to Piaget's 4-step equilibration model of the development of compensation and conservation. (ST)

Two studies examined how nonconservers use the dimensions relevant to quantity in the conservation of substance task. Most nonconservers are very selective in their use of the information provided by these dimensions. Most preschool and kindergarten nonconservers used length to define amount, while ignoring width. This was true regardless of how…

This study examined the relation between number conservation and attention to number, density, and length or area in 86 kindergarteners and 18 third graders. (Author/SB)

Examines young children's preferences and understanding regarding external and internal causes of behavior. Considers research in four areas: (1) knowledge of psychological states; (2) understanding that psychological states can cause behavior; (3) preference for internal versus external causes; and (4) discounting. (RJC)

Kindergartners and first graders chose objects to view during a recall task. When the experimenter executed the mature strategy of having the children view only the objects to be remembered: (1) recall among children who had earlier produced this strategy increased; and (2) age differences in strategic children's recall were eliminated. (BC)

Examines whether spontaneously strategic children from two age groups differed in the capacity required to execute a strategy. The strategic behavior of younger and older children was assessed on a selective memory task. A significant age difference in the capacity required for the strategy suggested that there is further development of strategies…

The Kuhn and Pease (p. 279, this issue) article advances the fields of cognitive development and learning by integrating work on executive functions, metacognition, and scientific reasoning. The article also expands developmental work to older children and adults, to personal beliefs, and to social information, and reinvigorates the construct of…

This study aimed to describe developmental differences in five-, seven-, and nine-year-olds' understanding of displaced aggression and to identify social and cognitive correlates of these differences. Understanding of displaced aggression increased significantly with age. (RH)

Examines early phases of understanding of causes of moderately and extremely displaced aggression. Preschool and kindergarten children three to five years of age viewed eight videotaped episodes of displaced aggression. Comprehension was assessed by means of open-ended questions and forced-choice picture selections. (Author/RH)