Reflection-Impulsivity, Conservation, and the Development of Ability to Control Cognitive Tempo

BARSTIS, SUSAN WEISS, and FORD, LEROY H., JR. Reflection-Impulsivity, Conservation, and the Development of Ability to Control Cognitive Tempo. CmHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1977, 48, 953-959. 45 kindergarten and 45 second-grade children were administered the Matching Familiar Figures test (MFF) along with standard conservation of number and amount tests. 10 days later the MFF was readministered to 3 experimental groups matched on initial MFF performance. 1 group received instructions emphasizing the importance of accuracy, for another the importance of response speed was emphasized, and for the third doing one's best was emphasized. Significant main effects for grade, cognitive style, and condition were found. Significantly more second-grade than kindergarten children were able to modify their performance appropriately according to directions and significantly more fast-accurate than reflective children appropriately modified their performance. Results were interpreted as suggesting that during the early school years children learn to modify information-processing tempo appropriately according to situational demands. In addition, with the kindergarten sample a significant relationship between cognitive tempo and conservation was observed, with a greater number of reflective than impulsive children demonstrating conservation abilities.