1st Edition

Research Issues in Child Development

    228 Pages
    by Routledge

    228 Pages
    by Routledge

    First published in 1986, this authoritative book contains a selection of original, research based, reports of studies conducted in Australia and New Zealand in the field of Child Development. The topics have been arranged into four major sections – cognitive issues in development, language and reading development, perpetual motor development and social aspects of development. Both pure and applied research issues are presented, and the chapters cover child development from infancy to adolescence.

    The book’s special strength lies in the diversity of topics tackled and the range of developmental research represented. Theoretical viewpoints are raised and empirical questions answered in the studies reported. The editors have systematically drawn together important contributions which reflected contemporary topics in child development at the time. Although no one common theoretical or empirical theme unites either each section or the whole book (which reflects the general scope and diversity of child development in the 1980s), the contributors in general see the child as developing through active interaction with his or her environment. This interactionist position is clearly preferred by most researchers, who realised that simplistic genetic or environmental models are inadequate to explain the complex development of the child.

    The editors were all active researchers in the area of child development at the time and each co-authored a chapter in the book. All published regularly in national and international journals and books, and were aware of current developments in their main areas of expertise.

    All those interested in issues in child development will find this book important reading, as it provides the reader with an excellent and diverse selection of studies, bearing on a wide range of empirical research.

    Contributors.  Preface.  Section 1: Cognitive Issues in Development  1. The Effects of Prenatal and Postnatal Twin Environments on Development Heather Mohay, Yvonne Burns, David Luke, David Tudehope and Michael O’Callaghan  2. Cognitive Functioning of Children Born with Very Low Birth Weight Mark S. Cescato and Peter G. Mertin  3. Search for Sounding Objects by One-Year-Old Infants Jeff Field and Carolyn Field  4. Failure on Piagetian Tasks: Misinterpretation of the Question? Ron Gold  5. The Effect of Context on the Memory Performance of Children Chris Pratt and James Pearson  6. Children’s Collaboration and Conflict in Dyadic Problem Solving Peter D. Renshaw and Alison F. Garton  7. Scholastic Ability in Left-Handers Lesley E. Tan and David A. Hay  8. Adolescents’ Organisational Strategies for Planning Errands Simone Volet, Jeanette Lawrence and Agnes Dodds  Section 2: Language and Reading Development  9. On Children’s Comprehension of Metaphor Roger Wales and Guy Coffey  10. Children’s Understanding of Ironic Utterances Lorna K.S. Chan and Peter G. Cole  11. Phonological Awareness and Learning to Read William E. Tunmer and Andrew R. Nesdale  12. Syntactic Processing in Children Varying in Reading Skill Profile Judith A. Bowey  13. Do Twins and Singletons Have Similar Language and Reading Problems? David A. Hay, Sally M. Collett, Carol J. Johnston, Pauline J. O’Brien and Margot Prior  Section 3: Perceptual Motor Development  14. Development of Perceptual Motor Abilities in Children from 5 Years to Adults Judith I. Laszlo  15. Perceptual Motor Development in Children’s Drawing Skill Pia Broderick  16. Vestibular-Postural and Oculomotor Control Problems in Learning Disabled Children Gordon Stanley, Lorraine Grimwood, Elizabeth Rutherford and Ian Hopkins  Section 4: Social Aspects of Development  17. Daycare, Rules and the Heteronomy Construct Michael Siegal  18. Reflection-Impulsivity and Delay of Gratification Choice Shirley M. Yates and Greg C. R. Yates  19. Parental Attitudes to Early Childhood Care Dorothy Toussaint  20. Parents’ Satisfaction with Progress and Beliefs About Stability of Traits Rosemary A. Knight  21. ‘Difficult’ and ‘Easy’ Periods for Young Siblings of Disabled People Maggie Kirkman  22. Social Distance and Life Goals as Bases for Intergenerational Perceptions Mary A. Luszcz and Karen M. Fitzgerald.