1. Formal Operations in Very Bright 8- to 14-Year Olds.
- Author
-
Webb, Roger A. and Daurio, Stephen P.
- Abstract
This study examined the transition from concrete to formal operations in very bright children in an effort to determine whether high ability in concrete operations would carry over into formal operational ability, and also to investigate precocity in regard to formal operations. Subjects were 38 white middle-class children ranging in age from approximately 8 to 14 years. Of these, 25 were younger students (approximate ages 8 to 12) with IQ's greater than 160, and 13 were older (approximate ages 12 1/2 to 14) with IQ's in the range of 150. The children were tested individually in their homes on three formal operational tasks adopted from Inhelder and Piaget as well as two moral reasoning dilemmas from Adelson and Piaget. The formal operational tasks were: communicating vessels, oscillation in a pendulum, and a balance problem. Tasks are described. Scoring was adopted from Inhelder and Piaget. Two judges assigned one of four categorical ratings, two concrete and two formal, to each task. Results indicate that high ability in children over the age of 11 does carry over into formal operations; but that bright children under 11 years demonstrate a low rate of precocity in formal operational ability, with exception of the pendulum problem. These results and responses to the moral questions are discussed. (Author/SB) more...
- Published
- 1975