Conceptual Tempo and Inhibition of Movement in Black Preschool Children

HARRISON, ALGEA, and NADELMAN, LORRAINE. Conceptual Tempo and Inhibition of Movement in Black Preschool Children. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1972, 43, 657-668. The relationships among the impulsivity-reflection dimension of conceptual tempo and the ability to inhibit movement and intelligence were studied in 50 black middle-class preschool children. The error and time scores on Kagan's Matching Familiar Figures Test were used to categorize children as reflective or impulsive. Maccoby et al.'s Draw a Line Slowly and Walk Slowly Tests, scored several ways, measured the child's ability to inhibit motor movement on request. The predicted relatiori between conceptual tempo and inhibition of movement was supported, more reflective children being significantly able to inhibit motor movement upon request than impulsive children. Ability to inhibit movement correlated positively and significantly with response latency and negatively and significantly with errors. Girls were more reflective and better inhibitors than boys.