The Japanese Journal of Developmental Psychology

The Effects of Visual Contact with Others to the Use of Hand Gestures in Speech.

Masato Sasaki

Article type: Article
1993 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 1-12
Published: July 10, 1993
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11201/jjdp.4.1

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The purpose of this study was to clarify the relation of visual contact with other people with the use of hand gestures in speech. Twenty-four subjects in four groups (sighted, blind-folded, late blind and early blind) were observed when they orally answer to four types of questions. The appearance rate of hand gestures with speech varied depending on type of questions and sight conditions. Every hand gesture was classified from three view points : parts of speech accompanied by gestures, types of gesture and the temporal sequencing of gesture vs. speech. In cases where words were verbs, especially, hand gesture preceded speech almost as often as the simultaneous expression of words and gestures. In the early-blind group, gesture were observed during only 0.7% of the total speech time. This suggested that this type of hand gesture originates from one's observationn of the other's body. These results were discussed in relation to the Mead's (1934) theory that gestures are of social origin.

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The Development of Children's Scientific Reasoning Processes, Using the Balance Scale Task.

Jun Oshima

Article type: Article
1993 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 13-24
Published: July 10, 1993
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11201/jjdp.4.13

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This study concerned the processes of children's scientific reasoning, based on a general model of scientific discovery as dual search (Klahr & Dunbar, 1988). Thirty subjects (ten each from the 4th to 6th grades) were asked to state their theories of balance scale movement, and then were presented with 12 feedback tasks in an experimental session. For each trial of the experiment, subjects were asked to predict the results of a task, and to explain the prediction. After seeing the results, they were also asked to give their interpretation. Analyses of subjects' protocols showed the following. First, most subjects manifested more complex dual search than we had expected. Second, 6th graders more frequently revealed their dual search in the first half of the experimental session than in the second half, where as 4th and 5th graders did so more in the second half. Finally, 6th graders attempted to explore new interpretations of the task results more frequently than did 4th and 5th graders. The above age differences in models of scientific discovery were discussed from the perspective of cognitive development.

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A Study of Non-MR Children's Attitudes toward Mildly Mentally Retarded Children in Maintsreamed Nurseries.

Yuichi Toda

Article type: Article
1993 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 25-33
Published: July 10, 1993
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11201/jjdp.4.25

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One important issue in early childhood' mainstreaming' practices is how to improve peerrelation between mentally retarded and non-retarded children (non-MR). To contribute to a solution for this problem, we interviewed non-MR preschoolers about their attitudes toward mildly mentally retarded young children (MR), and asked also about their reasons for these attitudes. Three young children (2 non-MR and 1 MR) were chosen as target persons at each of 6 nurseries. In total, 210 children (104 4-year-olds and 106 5-year-olds) from the 6 nurseries participated. For instance, they were asked whether and why they would want to hold hands with each of the targets when on a walk, and lunch together, etc. The results showed no consistant tendency in attitudes toward non-MR and MR targets. There was a significant interaction of age, sex, and social contact, on children's attitudes toward MRs vs. non-MRs. But there were no significant main effects. The subjects referred to MR more than to non-MR citing the targets' abilities when explaining thier attitudes. They referred to non-MR more than to MR citing the targets' characteristics when they didn't prefer targets.

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Preschooler's Acquisition of Number-Conversion Skills : The Role of Numerals.

Ryohei Maruyama

Article type: Article
1993 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 34-41
Published: July 10, 1993
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11201/jjdp.4.34

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This paper concerned first the present definition of "Number Conversion Skills" as the ability of a child to convert concrete materials or numerical signs into abstraction, and to be able to express such figures. We examined developmentally the role of numerals in the process by which children acquire such Number Conversion Skills. Task materials were of four types : concrete objects, number cards, numerals (e.g., to name sets of objects and to point same named number cards) and numbers (e.g., to read digits and to point digits as written names of sets). Participants were 335 children (age range=45-82 months) at two Japanese preschools. The main results included the following : (1) Conversion into numerals was achieved at the earliest ages, while the ability to convert into number cards was acquired last. (2) It was suggested that numerals serve a pivotal role in the Number Conversion acquisition process, as a transition between concrete objects and numbers or number cards. In summary, the first stage in the acquisition of Number Conversion Skills appears to be marked by the use of numerals.

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The Structure of Infant Temperament : Emotional Expression and the Tendency to Approach.

Emiko Kusanagi

Article type: Article
1993 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 42-50
Published: July 10, 1993
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11201/jjdp.4.42

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The relationships among variables thought to be related to temperament are not clear. This research was designed first to explore the relations among individual differences in the expressions of pleasure, fear, and anger. It also related individual differences in pleasure and fear to the approach tendency. Twenty-one infants were observed to assess their emotional and motor responses in a laboratory setting. A temperament questionnaire was also completed by mother, in order to assess the babies' daily life emotionalities. The results were as follows : (1) the tendencies to express pleasure, fear, and anger were independent of one another. (2) More fearful infants (judged by their responses in the laboratory and by the results of the questionnaire) tended to approach high-novelty objects with longer latencies. (3) Infants who smiled and laughed more in the observed social episodes approached high-novelty objects with shorter latencies. These findings support the theory that views emotionalities as temperamental components. They also suggest that individual differences in approach are not independent of the propensities for pleasure and fear.

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How Does Teacher Influence Preschool Children of Plan-Sharing in Make-Believe Play?.

Yuko Takahama

Article type: Article
1993 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 51-59
Published: July 10, 1993
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11201/jjdp.4.51

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In this longitudinal study, developmental changes in preschoolers' make-believe play were investigated through analyses of teacher-child interactions. The concept of Bruner's (1983) "format" was applied to study teacher-child communication processes during make-believe play. The play of two childen and their teacher's behavior were observed in the preschool once a week over a two-year period. The quality of developmental changes were analyzed of "plan-sharing", and the results showed that four phases were found in the development of make-believe play. These developmental phases corresponded to changes in the teacher's five formats, as follows : (f1) tentative-open, (f2) asking-aiding, (f3) negotia-tion-adding new perspective, (f4) request-cooperative solution, and (f5) expression-confirmation. These concepts of teacher's formats were deduced from developmental changes in children's play.

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The Social Competence of Preschoolers : Inter-Relationships of Multiple Measures, and Individual Differences.

Toshio Shibata

Article type: Article
1993 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 60-68
Published: July 10, 1993
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11201/jjdp.4.60

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Social competence is the ability to interact with peers effectively in various situations. In this study, preschoolers' social competence was evaluated using behavioral observations, teacher ratings, and peer sociometric ratings. In study 1, a social competence scale was developed as a teacher rating instrument. In study 2, relationships among the various measures were investigated, along with individual differences. Popularity was related to cooperative behavior in boys, and to initiative-taking behavior in girls. Also, observed peer interactions reflecting positive emotions were correlated with teacher ratings of the tendency to be participative. In addition, the percentage of successful entry behavior by boys was related to teacher ratings of their initiative, and male aggressive behavior was evaluated as a form of problem-solving behavior. Finally, according to cluster analysis, one group of children showing self-inhibitory social competence exists, in addition to two socially incompetent groups. These results all suggest the importance of qualitative analyses of social competence.

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[title in Japanese]

[in Japanese]

Article type: Article
1993 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 69-70
Published: July 10, 1993
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11201/jjdp.4.69

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[title in Japanese]

[in Japanese]

Article type: Article
1993 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 70-71
Published: July 10, 1993
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11201/jjdp.4.70

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[title in Japanese]

[in Japanese], George Butterworth

Article type: Article
1993 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 72-73
Published: July 10, 1993
Released on J-STAGE: July 20, 2017

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.11201/jjdp.4.72

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