The expansion of a child's problem solving repetoire to incorporate symbolic problem solving is the ultimate achievement in the development of adaptive symbolic functioning. In this cross-sectional study, problem solving ability was examined as a function of age. In addition, the development of the symbolic representational activities deferred imitation, symbolic play, drawing, mental imagery, and language were examined in relation to the type of problem solving behaviors demonstrated on search/retrieval problems. The sample included 36 children from 30 to 36 months of age. / Symbolic skills were assessed with a Dramatic Play Behavior Checklist, a drawing task, the Gestalt Closure subtest of the Kaufman-ABC, the Utah Test of Language Development, and two problem solving performance tasks. Spearman's Rho correlations, Chi Square Analyses, and T-tests were performed. / Clear differences were found between children $\ge$33 months of age and those $<$33 months in that younger children relied on trial and error problem solving while older children derived symbolic solutions to the performance task problems. The symbolic skills of deferred imitation, symbolic play, mental imagery, and language were found to develop in tandem with increased ability to symbolically problem solve. / Most importantly, children who averaged 34.5 months of age were found to reliably use models as mnemonic devices to symbolically problem solve on the search/retrieval tasks. Additionally, an intriguing and persistent error pattern emerged in this study. The pattern of errors indicated the presence of an intermediate step in problem solving between reliance upon trial and error and the achievement of full symbolic problem solving capability. Children committing this perseverative type error averaged 32.2 months in age, which is between the average ages of those who solved the problems via trial and error 31.1 months) and those who problem solved symbolically (34.5 months). / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-06, Section: B, page: 3181. / Major Professor: Carol Anderson Darling. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76649 |
| Contributors | McMullen, Mary Benson., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 251 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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