A Scalogram Analysis of the Development of the Use and Comprehension of "Because" in Children

1975, 46, 195-201. 9 tasks were de-signed to test the developmental sequence of three types of because in 1(X) children aged3—7 years. The tasks tested whether comprehension of because preceded its usage and atwhat point children understood that sentences with reversed clauses were incorrect. Scalo-gram analyses yielded an index of consistency of .89 and a coeflBcient of homogeneity of .68,suggesting invariance of sequential order. An ANOVA of age effects was significant,p < .001, and age was significantly correlated with the number of items passed, r = .82,p < .01. In the scalogram ordering, comprehension of each type of task preceded usage ofthat type. Sentences with reversed clauses were more diflBcult than either comprehension orusage items. Findings were consistent with those of other investigators who found a changein language usage corresponding to the change from the preoperational period to the concreteoperational period of intellectual development.