title: Successful part-whole perception in young children using multiple-choice tests.
abstract: In 3 experiments involving young children (N = 164), excellent perceptual integration of parts and wholes was revealed, unlike findings of earlier Piagetian studies (D. Elkind, R. R. Koegler, & E. Go, 1964). In Experiment 1, 5-year-olds' performance in part-whole perception was raised nearly sixfold when a multiple-choice task was substituted for the Piagetian verbal task used earlier. Performing the multiple-choice first rather than second also raised verbal scores. Experiment 2, with 3- to 5-year-olds, tested whether the children could have been confusing "whole made of parts" with "whole and parts" stimuli. Equal performance was found with 2 versions of a multiple-choice task, including either a whole and parts or a whole and different parts picture, which contradicts the confusion hypothesis. In Experiment 3, with 2- to 4-year-olds, good part-whole perception was demonstrated through the use of a 2-alternative, forced-choice procedure. The lower age bounds for this type of performance are much earlier than hitherto proposed.
authors.affiliation: Bishop's University, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boisvert
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Standing
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moller
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007804:Language Development; D008297:Male; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D002666:Psychology, Child; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods*