Structural and linguistic variables in selected inference patterns for bilinguals in grades six to ten

Summary

This study is a preliminary correlational study. Consequently, the statements given in the discussion are tentative and imply no cause-effect relationships. In general this study supports the idea that the ability to recognize valid principles is not a unitary ability which develops with age and levels off at a fixed age in the age range 11–16 years. For one thing, decisions made by children concerning the validity of inferences do not seem to be made solely on a formal basis but also on the kind of the linguistic structures of the natural language used. Moreover, there are structural variables which seem to reflect developmental growth and variables which do not. The most important single one in the latter is decidability, i.e., ability to recognise principles with no logically necessary conclusions. Further research is being planned with the hope of refining the model and isolating and studying different variables under experimental control.