Abstract
Four-year-olds were Ss in a partial replication of an experiment that had used oddity-problem training to successfully induce conservation of length in 5-year-olds. Training in the present study was successful; a group given knowledge of results on each trial responded to the length cue significantly more often than did an uninformed group. However, neither group evidenced conservation of length on a transfer test. Failure of the present training to induce conservation was predicted by a recent theory of conservation. Hypotheses specifying an identity of processes underlying discrimination and conservation are presented.
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References
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This report is based on the senior author’s MA thesis. The junior author directed the research and prepared this report. We thank Mrs. Lilian Feldman of the Syracuse School District and the teachers and children at the Delaware Baptist Church. This work was partially supported by a contract with the Office of Education, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, through the Syracuse Center for Research and Development in Early Childhood Education. Contractors undertaking such work under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their professional judgment in the conduct of their work. Points of view or opinions stated do not. therefore, necessarily represent official Office of Education position or policy. The senior author held an NTCHD traineeship at the time of this study. Requests for reprints during the 1970-1971 academic year should be sent to the junior author at the Department of Psychology. University of Denver. Denver, Colo. 80210.
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Christie, J.F., Smothergill, D.W. Discrimination and conservation of length. Psychon Sci 21, 336–337 (1970). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03335811
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03335811