A hoary assumption of the law is that children are more prone to false-memory reports than adults, and hence, their testimony is less reliable than adults'. Since the 1980s, that assumption has been buttressed by numerous studies that detected declines in false memory between early childhood and young adulthood under controlled conditions.…

This paper reviews the use of eye tracking measures (saccades, smooth-pursuit eye movements, fixations during scene and face perception, and pupillary dilation) to study typical and clinical populations of children and adolescents and evaluates the use of these measures. The studies are evaluated with a focus on points that may be of general…

Describes a theory of the understanding and use of representations, drawing heavily on Paul Ricoeur's and James Mark Baldwin's theories. Presents this theory as construing representation as intrinsically mimetic, characterizing the development of representational understanding as internalization, and emphasizing the importance of self-reflection…

Searches for an understanding of developmental scholar William Kessen, and of what he was trying to teach in his later years. Discusses possible sources of Kessen's dissatisfaction with the field of child development, and whether any of these issues can be resolved in ways that Kessen might not have fully anticipated. Summarizes the main lessons…

Reviews literature on biophilia hypothesis that children have fundamental, genetically based propensity to affiliate with other living organisms. Identifies three concerns: (1) genetic basis of biophilia; (2) existence of seemingly negative affiliations with nature; and (3) quality of supporting evidence. Presents structural-developmental approach…

Proposes a variant of mental model theory which suggests that the development of conditional reasoning (if--then) can be explained by such factors as the capacity of working memory, range of knowledge available to a reasoner, and his/her ability to access this knowledge "on-line." Finds much empirical data explained by this model.…

Offers psychologist Baldwin's theory as an approach to the development of social understanding emphasizing gradual differentiation of self and other and rooting this process in embodied activity within a social context. Argues that Baldwin's account provides a stronger starting point for conceptualizing the infant's discovery of other, self, and…

Examines Simmel's principle of cultivation whereby the cultivated mind is constructed through ongoing transactions of people with their cultural environment, cultural forms currently overlooked. Cultural forms result from externalizations of former person-culture transactions. Argues that development is structured through person-culture…

Reviews research on development of children's beliefs about intelligence; proposes that this development represents simultaneous processes of concept acquisition and theory building. Discusses research foci on children's definitions of intelligence, beliefs about the component structure of intelligence, criteria children use to evaluate ability,…

Considers how students' mathematical thinking evolves as a result of their actions and everyday experiences and from increasing reliance on introduced mathematical principles and representations. Exemplifies how 8- to 10-year-olds' personal representations come to face with representations involving algebraic concepts. Explores implications for…

Clarifies a reconceptualization of constructs of individualism, collectivism, independence, and interdependence which represents a departure from traditional conceptualization and a move away from understanding these constructs in dichotomous, stereotypical, and unidimensional terms. Discusses implications of this perspective for stereotyping…

Explicates the theoretical position that independence and interdependence are inseparable dimensions of self-development in all cultures and that self-development occurs through social interactions shaped by cultural values. Individualism-collectivism classify two multidimensional cultural value systems that shape different routes and goals of…

Asserts that dichotomous cultural templates such as independence and interdependence do not accurately reflect the complexity of social life and often result in stereotypic characterizations of social orientations of individuals and cultures. Discusses viewpoints that promote use of dichotomous labels, espouse dualities for some cultural aspects,…

Discusses the influence of Levy-Bruhl's analysis (1910) of "primitive" mentality on Piaget's research and theory contrasting child and adult ontology and logic. Maintains that parallels between their research designs substantiate Piaget's explicit references to Levy-Bruhl. Suggests that their conceptual kinship has implications for an…

Reviews development of rehearsal and organizational strategies based on cross-sectional and longitudinal research, focusing on the Munich Longitudinal Study. Found that longitudinal data reveal greater individual variability in strategy acquisition, suggesting that canonical development patterns inferred from cross-sectional studies obfuscate…