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SOCIAL LEARNING AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT: MODELLING EFFECTS ON CHILDREN'S UNDERSTANDING OF CONSERVATION
Author(s) -
MURRAY JOHN P.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
british journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.536
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8295
pISSN - 0007-1269
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8295.1974.tb02781.x
Subject(s) - psychology , cognitive development , developmental psychology , cognition , test (biology) , task (project management) , child development , social learning , cognitive psychology , ecology , pedagogy , management , neuroscience , economics , biology
Cognitive limitations of social learning were studied in 120 children. On the basis of a pre‐test of conservation of substance, children were described as conservers, partial conservers or nonconservers. Next, each child observed either a conserving, mixed or non‐conserving model perform in a standard Piagetian conservation task via videotape. A post‐test followed. Results indicated that the extent of post‐modelling behaviour change was related to the child's initial developmental level. Children who observed a non‐conserving model failed to regress in their understanding of conservation. These data suggest that positive effects of modelling are predictable according to initial cognitive level.