Exploratory Behavior, Task Persistence, Across the Second Year of Life and Problem-Solving Ability
Title:
Exploratory Behavior, Task Persistence, Across the Second Year of Life and Problem-Solving Ability
Author:
Caruso, David
Appeared in:
Early education and development
Paging:
Volume 1 (1990) nr. 5 pages 354-370
Year:
1990-07-01
Contents:
The present study focuses on individual differences in specific qualitative aspects of infants' exploratory behavior, task persistence, and problem-solving ability. Longitudinal questions concern the stability of these behaviors across the second year of life and the relationship between early exploration and task persistence and later problem- solving ability. Twenty-nine infants were observed at 12 months and again at 26 to 28 months of age. Behavior was observed on two exploratory and two problem-solving tasks, and a wide range of individual differences was found. The longitudinal results suggest stability between one and two years of age in terms of the cognitive sophistication of behavior rather than in correlations between identical index behaviors. Longitudinal stability was not found for task persistence. Also, infants who used more different schemes to explore at one year were found to be more successful and sophisticated in problem solving at age two. It is concluded that the quality and range of behaviors used during exploration have important developmental significance, rather than the use of any specific behavior, or persistent behavior, regardless of the degree of sophistication.
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