title: Understanding conceptual development along the implicit-explicit dimension: looking through the lens of the representational redescription model.
abstract: This study examined conceptual changes in children in the dimension of explicitness through the lens of the representational redescription model (A. Karmiloff-Smith, 1986, 1992). The 4- to 9-year-old participants (N = 24) had to balance blocks on a narrow support in one task and predict whether the blocks could be balanced in another task. In addition to the application of a microgenetic approach, various new methods were introduced to capture fine-grained changes in explicitness. Explicit understanding and behavioral performance were assessed separately with different measures. By using an adapted prediction task in a new way, evidence supporting the existence of an intermediate level of explicitness (Level E1) was found. The results also supported the existence of implicit-to-explicit development. The findings imply that the development of conceptual explicitness deserves further investigation.
authors: Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong. imccn@alumni.cuhk.net
authors: Chi-Ngai
authors: CN
authors: Cheung
authors: Wan-Chi
authors: WC
authors: Wong
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003210:Concept Formation; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011340:Problem Solving; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012858:Size Perception; D014892:Weight Perception