The differential effects of age and first grade schooling on the development of infralogical and logico-mathematical concrete operations

Using the “between-grade levels” regression discontinuity design, this study examined the hypothesized differential sensitivity of logico-mathematical (LM) and infralogical (IL) operational tasks to the effects of chronological age and first grade schooling in a sample of 580 1st and 2nd grade Israe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cognitive development 2008-04, Vol.23 (2), p.258-277
Main Authors: Cahan, Sorel, Greenbaum, Charles, Artman, Lavee, Deluya, Nilly, Gappel-Gilon, Yael
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age
Age vs. schooling effects
Arithmetic
Between-grades regression discontinuity design
Classification
Cognitive development
Comparative Analysis
Concrete operations
Foreign Countries
Grade 1
Grade 2
Israel
Mathematical Concepts
Mathematical Logic
Mathematics Achievement
Outcomes of Education
Prediction
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Summary:Using the “between-grade levels” regression discontinuity design, this study examined the hypothesized differential sensitivity of logico-mathematical (LM) and infralogical (IL) operational tasks to the effects of chronological age and first grade schooling in a sample of 580 1st and 2nd grade Israeli children. The results indicate that the development of logico-mathematical operational skills (classification, class inclusion and transitivity) is mainly attributable to schooling. In contrast, the effect of schooling on the development of conservation of mass, liquid quantity and number (clearly an infralogical task) is negligible; acquisition of conservation is almost exclusively due to maturation and out-of-school experiences. The results support the theoretical predictions derived from French-Swiss research of the last two decades and are inconsistent with claims regarding the specificity of schooling effects to tasks that are taught in school.
ISSN:0885-2014
1879-226X
DOI:10.1016/j.cogdev.2008.01.004