The impact of the relative richness or poverty of the external environment on development has been demonstrated in a variety of species and for a number of physical and cognitive processes. However, a dichotomy exists in the present literature, wherein the physical and social environments are compartmentalized. The present study investigated the potential longitudinal interaction between the social and physical environments on early cognitive development and emotional reactivity. Bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) were exposed to different part-time combinations of social and physical enrichment over the first 96 hours following hatch. Developmental trajectories were explored using repeated non-identical maze tasks. The experiment was inconclusive as to the effects of enrichment; however a distinct trend arose as a main effect of age. Chicks were significantly less willing to explore and solve the maze at 72 and 96 hours. Potential explanations concerning experience and physiological maturation are discussed along with sources of variability.

Calculus at the university level is taken by thousands of undergraduate students each year. However, a significant number of students struggle with the subject, resulting in poor problem solving, low achievement, and high failure rates in the calculus courses overall (e.g., Kaput, 1994; Szydlik, 2000; Tall, 1985; Tall & Ramos, 2004; White & Mitchelmore, 1996). This is cause for concern as the lack of success in university calculus creates further barriers for students who require the course for their programs of study. This study examines this issue from the perspective of Tall’s Three Worlds of Mathematics (Tall, 2004a, 2004b, 2008), a theory of mathematics and mathematical cognitive development. A fundamental argument of Tall’s theory suggests that connecting between the different mathematical worlds, named the Embodied-Conceptual, Symbolic-Proceptual, and Formal-Axiomatic worlds, is essential for full cognitive development and understanding of mathematical concepts. Working from this perspective, this research examined, through the use of calculus task questions and semi-structured interviews, how fifteen undergraduate calculus students made connections between the different mathematical worlds for the calculus topics of limits and derivatives. The analysis of the findings suggests that how the students make connections can be described by eight different Response Categories. The study also found that how the participants made connections between mathematical worlds might be influenced by the type of questions that are asked and their experience in calculus courses. I infer that these Response Categories have significance for this study and offer potential for further study and educational practice. I conclude by identifying areas of further research in regards to calculus achievement, the Response Categories, and other findings such as a more detailed study of the influence of experience.

RésuméLa thèse porte sur les représentations spatiales et en particulier sur les cadres de référence spatiale. Ils permettent la localisation d’objets par rapport à d’autres dans un espace proche, comme dans l’exemple : « le sel est à gauche du poivre ». Il existe différents types de références : centré sur soi, centré sur l’objet et centré sur l’environnement. Celles qui sont préférentiellement utilisées par un individu dépendent de sa langue et de sa culture.Dans un premier temps, le développement des cadres de référence est analysé chez des sujets de culture française de 3 à 21 ans, grâce aux tâches du paradigme de rotation à 180° (Levinson, 2003). Dans un second temps, les relations entre les confusions gauche/droite et l’utilisation de cadres de référence sont examinées chez des adultes français, en s’appuyant sur un questionnaire d’auto-évaluation et sur une tâche du paradigme de rotation. Les résultats permettent de dessiner un chemin développemental concernant les cadres de référence en France, selon le modèle de la Redescription Représentationnelle de Karmiloff-Smith (1992). Ils montrent également le lien entre les confusions gauche/droite et les types de références spatiales utilisées chez certains adultes. / The thesis is about spatial representations, especially spatial frames of reference, which are used to locate an object with respect to another in a small-scale space, for example: « the salt is to the left of the pepper ». Different references exist: self-centred, object-centred and environment-centred. The references preferentially employed by a subject depend on his language and culture.First of all, the development of frames of reference is analysed with French subjects from 3 to 21 years of age, thanks to 180° rotation paradigm tasks (Levinson, 2003). Secondly, the relations between left/right confusions and the use of frames of reference are examined with French adults, with a self-judgment questionnaire and a rotation paradigm task.Results show that the development of frames of reference in France follows the predictions of the Representational Redescription model of Karmiloff-Smith (1992). They also highlight a link between left/right confusions and spatial references used by some adults.

Orientador: Fermino Fernandes Sisto / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-20T12:30:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Garrido_MariaElda_M.pdf: 9046956 bytes, checksum: edbee73ad2983e4e365caf8761d9758a (MD5) Previous issue date: 1995 / Resumo: Este estudo investigou se a privação sensorial auditiva interfere no funcionamento mental quanto às regulações e coordenações inferenciais, avaliados pelas escolaridade e temporalidade de ocorrência, comparando o processo de construção de possíveis entre crianças surdas e ouvintes. Investigaram-se no ensino de 1Q grau, vinte (20) crianças surdas profundas, de 7 a 10 anos de idade, de escola especial na cidade de Campinas - SP, do Infantil à segunda série aprimoramento, e sessenta e três (63) crianças ouvintes, de 7 a 9 anos, de escola regular, dessa mesma cidade, do Ciclo Básico à quarta série, de ambos os sexos e nível sócio-econômico médio. Utilizou-se, o instrumental composto pelas seguintes provas: as formas possíveis de uma realidade parcialmente escondida, possível dedutível, e, construção de eqüidistância, adotando-se os critérios clássicos piagetianos. Para análise do indicador de tendência criativa e tempo de desempenho convencionaram-se critérios próprios. Nos resultados constatou-se que há uma defasagem de aproximadamente 2 a 3 anos, em relação ao desenvolvimento cognitivo das crianças de audição normal. Pela avaliação da seqüência evolutiva da formação dos possíveis verificou-se que a ordem de surgimento dá criação de novidades, foi a mesma em ambos os grupos. Mas, a partir do nível 2 de escolarização observaram-se diferenças entre os grupos: a tendência dos surdos foi permanecer mais analógicos, enquanto os ouvintes acompanharam o processo normal de evolução, atingindo os co-possíveis. Em relação ao tempo gasto na execução das provas, encontrou-se que as crianças surdas manifestaram uma tendência a utilizar aproximadamente o dobro de tempo que as ouvintes / Abstract: This study investigated the interference of sensorial auditive deprivation on the mental function in respect to regulations and inferential coordenations, evaluated by scholarity and age, comparing the constructive process of the "possibles" between deaf and hearing children. 20 highly-deaf children, aged between 7 to 10 years, studying at a special school, and 63 normal children, aged from 7 to 9 years, studying at a regular school, in the same city, of both sexes, and medium socioeconomic leveI. The tasks used were the following: the possible forms of a partialy hidden object, a deductible possible, and the construction of equidistance, classifying the subjects by classical piagetian criteria. To analyze the cue of criative tendence and temporal duration of performance we created our own criteria. The results showed about 2 or 3 years of temporal displacement, compared to the cognitive development of hearing children. In the evolutive sequence of the formation of the possibles equal order of appearence of novelty creation in both groups was verified. Nevertheless, since levei two of scholarity differences between groups were observed. The deaf's tendency were to remain more analogical than hearing children, which showed a normal evolutional process, presenting co-possibles. The time spended on the tasks by deaf children lasted twice as long / Mestrado / Psicologia Educacional / Mestre em Educação

L'objectif était d'évaluer l'effet de l'anémie pendant la grossesse et ses facteurs de risque sur le développement cognitif d'enfants à un an.Notre cohorte a inclus 636 couples de mères et d'enfants singletons nés de femmes enceintes incluses dans un essai clinique antipaludiques au Bénin. Les prélèvements sanguins ont été réalisés lors des 1er et 2nd visites prénatales (VP) et à l'accouchement (AC) afin d'évaluer la concentration en hémoglobine (Hb) et la ferritine sérique. Les selles ont été testé la présence d'oeufs d'helminthes par la technique de Kato-Katz. Toutes les femmes ont reçu 600mg de mébendazole lors de la 1er VP. À l'âge d'un an, le développement psycho-moteur des enfants a été évalué par le Mullen Scales of Early Learning.La prévalence de la carence en fer (CF) chez les femmes 1er et 2nd VP et à l'AC était de 30,5%, 34,0% et 28,4%, respectivement. La prévalence des infections helminthiques était de 11,5%, 7,5% et 3,0 % à la 1er, la 2nd VP et à l'AC, respectivement. La prévalence de l'anémie a diminué de 67,1% à la 1er VP à 40,1% à l'AC. L'infection par ankylostomes à la 1er VP était associée avec un score de motricité globale (MG) inférieure -4,9 (IC 95%:-8,6;-1,3). Nous avons observé une relation quadratique négative significative entre la MG de l'enfant et la concentration d'Hb à la première et la 2nd VP.Dans ce contexte de supplémentation en fer des femmes enceintes, la CF maternelle n'était pas associée au développement neurocognitif de l'enfant. De plus, il semble que des concentrations en Hb légèrement en-dessous de la normale (comprises entre 90 et 110 g/L) soient optimales pour la motricité des enfants à un an. / The aim was to investigate the impact of anemia during pregnancy and its risk factors on the cognitive development children.Our cohort included 636 mother-singleton child pairs from 828 eligible pregnant women who were enrolled during their first antenatal care (ANC) visit in Allada, Benin, into a clinical trial comparing two malarial drugs. Ferritin and hemoglobin (Hb) level were assessed at the first and second ANC visit of at least one-month interval and at delivery. Stool samples of pregnant women were tested for helminths using the Kato-Katz method. All women were given 600 mg of mebendazole to be taken after the first ANC visit. Cognitive and motor functions of one-year-old children were assessed using Mullen Scales of Early Learning.The prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) at first and second ANC visits, and at delivery was 30.5%, 34.0% and 28.4%, respectively. Prevalence of helminth infection was 11.5%, 7.5% and 3.0% at first, second ANC visits and at delivery, respectively. Prevalence of anemia decreased from 67.1% at first ANC visit to 40.1% at delivery. Hookworm infection at first ANC was associated with lower mean gross motor (GM) scores -4.9 (95% CI:-8.6;-1.3) in the adjusted model. We observed a significant negative quadratic relationship between infant GM function and Hb concentration at first and second ANC visits.Prenatal helminth infection is associated with poor with infant cognitive and motor development. However, in the presence of iron supplementation, ID is not associated with infant neurocognitive development. Further, there appears to be an Hb concentration range (90-110 g/L) that may be optimal for better GM function of one-year-old children.

Quality play is fundamental to the healthy development of a child. Children living in high-density residential areas in Pretoria are deprived of necessary play experiences, due to the nature of the existing playgrounds. This dissertation investigates how a playscape (natural playground) can be designed in such a way as to facilitate the social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of children. The research argues that quality play is possible when children have loose parts to play with, and are able to manipulate their environment. Playing in more natural areas offers a host of physical and psychological health benefits for children. A playscape is therefore proposed in the high-density residential area of Sunnyside in Pretoria along the Walker Spruit, to serve the play needs of the children in the area, incorporating a toy library and other economic initiatives. The design solution aims at creating a safe park which would be used by all members of the public, not only children. The proposal shows that employing natural materials in a play area could provide healthy, stimulating play opportunities for children. / Dissertation (ML(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Architecture / unrestricted

The aim of this study was to evaluate gaze behaviour in relation to cognitive development among infants with epilepsy. Our sample consisted of 60 infants with epilepsy that underwent cognitive testing and developmental assessment. We tested visual ability to orient and fixate gaze to a screen, re-orient visual attention at an initial test visit and in follow up tests and the improvement in these visual abilities between initial and traced improvements in follow-up visits. We found significant differences in the initial level and in improvement in the ability to orient and fixate to the screen between infants categorized as typical, having mild deficit or global deficit in development by the age of 2 years. Significant differences were observed between the global group compared to the mild and normal groups, respectively and we also found significant differences between the normal and the mild developmental group. Our results also showed that initial ability to orient and fixate to the screen and improvements of this ability across time are significantly associated with cognitive performance at the age of two years. These results provide the first proof-of-concept for using serial eye tracking assessments at the individual level. Further research is needed to better control for various clinical factor, including a comparison with a healthy control group and to identify gaze behavior parameters diagnostic of developmental outcome. / Syftet med den här studien var att utvärdera blickbeteende i relation till kognitiv utveckling. Vår testgrupp bestod av 60 spädbarn med epilepsi som genomgick kognitiva tester och utvecklingsbedömningar. Vi testade hur visuell förmåga att rikta och fixera blicken på skärmen, byta visuellt fokus och utvecklingen av dessa visuella förmågor över uppföljningvisit. Vi fann at signifikanta skillnader i de initiala förmågorna och förbättring av förmågan att orientera och fixa skärmen mellan barn kategoriserade som typiska, med litet underskott eller global underskott i utveckling vid en ålder av 2 år. Signifikanta skillnader observerades i jämförelsen mellan en grupp av svår epilepsi och mild grad av epilepsi. Vi fann även signifikanta skillnader mellan normalt utvecklade barn och barn med mild epilepsi. Våra resultat visar också att initial förmåga att rikta blicken och förändringen av denna förmåga över tid är signifikant associerad med kognitiv förmåga vid två års ålder. Dessa resultat ger preliminära stöd för användningen av ögonrörelseregistrering för bedömningar på individnivå. Ytterligare forskning är nödvändig där flera kliniska faktorer kontrolleras bättre, inklusive en jämförelse med en frisk kontrollgrupp, för att identifiera blickparametrar som är diagnostiska för barns utveckling.

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It has long been the quest of developmental theorists to understand the mechanisms behind cognitive functioning and the acquisition of language. Studies have identified that there is an interdependent, dialectical relationship between cognitive development and language acquisition. The development of language, in typical populations, is therefore dependent on a baseline cognitive skill, which, once acquired, capacitates the further development of cognition. However, very little is known about this process within atypical populations, particularly those with speech and language impairment. This study examined the relationship between cognitive functioning and early predictive factors in an atypical population of pre-school children with speech and language impairment using three measures of cognitive functioning (as measured by the WPPSI (Wechsler Pre-School and Primary Intelligence Scale), the Griffiths and the JSAIS (Junior South African Individual Scale)) and a range of demographic, diagnostic and early developmental childhood factors. Results identify factors such as parental levels of education, family structure, gender and pregnancy and early childhood health as the main influences of cognitive performance. They also highlight the pervasive influence of speech and language impairment on non-verbal and processing speed abilities. The presence of genetic conditions as well as multiple diagnoses was frequently found to have significant associations with poor cognitive performance. The study also highlighted two things of unexpected interest. The first refers to the role of handedness (particularly undifferentiated handedness) in identifying cognitive difficulty which is related to hemispheric lateralisation, and its relationship to the various diagnostic groups represented within the sample. The second considers the high proportion of diagnostic co-morbidity and the common cognitive profiling patterns across diagnostic categories in abilities outside of the verbal range to highlight potential directions for future research. The implications of these overlaps are considered within existing research on brain laterality, hemispheric dominance and neurological immaturity.

Depression is recognized as a disabling and impairing condition, impacting mood, cognitions, and daily functioning (APA, 2013; WHO, 2017). Women are more likely to develop depression than men (Gutierrez-Lobos et al., 2002; Noble, 2005). The perinatal period is a sensitive time when mothers are vulnerable to developing depression (Noble, 2005; Schiller et al., 2015). Further, postpartum depression is a risk factor for negative outcomes for both mother and child (Goodman & Gotlib, 1999), including child cognitive development (Grace et al., 2003). The onset and course of depression involves a variety of biopsychosocial components that are often accounted for in research on maternal depression (Billings & Moos, 1993; Cummings & Davies, 1994; Nobel, 2005). Examining the severity, chronicity, and time of onset of maternal depression reveals specific patterns or trajectories for the mother’s experience; these trajectories can provide better understanding of maternal depression and its impact on child development (Brennan et al., 2000). Maternal depression is prevalent yet under-studied and under-identified in low-middle income countries (LMICs), with most research of postpartum depression centering Western and English-speaking families (Gelaye et al.,2016; Halbreich &Karkun, 2006). To better understand and treat maternal depression across cultures, research is needed in diverse locations with culturally sensitive methods. The purpose of the present study is to identify trajectories of maternal depression in diverse, international locations including LMICs. The MAL-ED Study involves eight study sites (Dhaka, Bangladesh (BGD); Fortaleza, Brazil (BRF); Vellore, India; (INV), Bhaktapur, Nepal (NEB); Loreto, Peru (PEL); Naushahro Feroze, Pakistan (PKN); Venda, South Africa (Dzimauli Community, SAV); and Haydom, Tanzania (TZH)) and incorporates several health-related factors pertaining to mothers and children (Murray-Kolb et al., 2014). The present study included five of the eight international sites. Maternal depression, as measured by the Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ; Beusenberg & Orley, 1994), was assessed across the first two years postpartum, allowing for longitudinal analysis of trajectory using latent class growth analysis (LCGA). Maternal depression trajectories differed across the five sites, but demonstrated a general pattern of high, moderate, and low symptoms for the total sample. Path models were used to determine if there was a relationship between maternal depression trajectories and child cognitive development as measured by the Bayley Scales for Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd Edition (BSID-III, Bayley, 2009) for the total sample. To address the influence of contextual factors, the Home Observation for the Measurement of the Environment (HOME; Caldwell & Bradley, 1984, 2003) was incorporated in analysis as a mediator. However, the mediation analysis was not statistically significant and maternal depression trajectory was not a strong predictor of child cognitive development with the total sample. The results indicated that better home environment predicted improved cognitive scores, regardless of maternal depression trajectories. The present study provided evidence that maternal depression trajectories varied based on cultural group. Although maternal depression trajectories did not predict child cognitive development with the total sample, future research can explore trajectories in each location and relationships with other variables. Additionally, further investigation of how the home environment impacts child cognitive development in the five different locations can be informative for providing services to children and their families. / School Psychology