Solving spatial perspective-taking problems by rule versus computation: A developmental study.

A distinction was made between 2 aspects of spatial perspective-taking competence: (a) rules, such as the generalization that 2 observers will have the same view of any object display in the same viewing position and different views in different viewing positions; and (b) computation, the actual cognitive processes used to estimate how some particular display looks to another observer at a different station point. A developmental assessment was made of knowledge and use of the above rule, unconfounded by computation ability. Groups of 24 Ss each from Grades 1, 3, and 5 participated. Older Ss proved likelier than younger ones to solve correctly problems that could only be solved by rule use and also to report that they had used the rule in a posttest inquiry. It is concluded that a number of Ss possessed the rule, consciously and deliberately used it in solving perspective-taking problems, and believed in its general veracity enough to use it when they did not have to, namely on special problems that were solvable either by rule or by computation. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comprehension of texts with unfamiliar versus recently taught words: Assessment of alternative models.

Used modeling data from a study of M. G. McKeown et al (1983) in which approximately 160 4th graders recalled texts containing words that were either unfamiliar or recently taught to them through an intensive vocabulary instruction program. A suppression model, in which incomplete representations of propositions containing unfamiliar words were used during processing, predicted the pattern of recall of texts containing 11% unfamiliar words better than did a substitution model, in which propositions that contained only familiar words were substituted for those that contained unfamiliar words. A remind model, in which instructed words received additional processing, predicted the pattern of recall of texts containing 11% instructed words better than did a normal model, in which propositions that contained instructed words were processed in the same way as were propositions containing only familiar words. It is suggested that learning words through well-designed, direct instruction makes the instructed words salient and results in a greater ability to use the instructed rather than familiar words during comprehension. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)