Kristina Fulgham & Susanna Vinson

EDU 3326 - Child Growth and Development

Fall 2004

Students: Susanna Vinson & Kristina Fulgham

Date: December 9, 2004

Statement of Problem:

     According to Vygotsky, memory is a culturally conditioned action that improves over time as children learn to use their memory in a logical, voluntary way through social interactions.  Werner, on the other hand, believed that older children's improvement in memory comes from a developmental process by which perception moves from being physiognomic to geometric-technical. Werner believes that while the more abstract, technical approach to perception improves memory quantitatively, it notably lessens the quality of younger children's rich memory.  Reflecting upon these ideas, the question arises as to whether the structured, logical approach to memory will hinder the natural ability of the younger children while assisting the older.  Is it really true that older children, whom Vygotsky would say have culturally acquired better memory skills, but who no longer have the richness of perception and eidetic imagery that Werner says younger children possess, will remember more than the younger children? 

 Guiding Questions:

·        Will kindergartners or third-graders remember more details from a photograph they have examined without being instructed to remember as much as possible?

·        Which age group will remember more details from the photograph if they are told to remember as much as possible?

·        How will the instruction affect the success of recall in each age group?

·        What strategies did the kindergartners and third-graders use to remember when asked to do so?

·        Will our findings support Vygotsky’s theory that older children remember more because they have been culturally conditioned to do so or Werner’s theory that older children remember more because of geometric-technical perception?

 Hypothesis:

     The kindergartners will remember more overall than the third graders, though they will not benefit from being told beforehand that they will have to remember the scene.  Also, even though the third graders will not remember as much as the kindergartners overall, they will do much better when told beforehand to try to remember the scene.

Preliminary Annotated Bibliography:

Vygotsky, Lev (1929) The Problem of the Cultural Development of the Child: Online, 10 Oct. 2004. <http://web.archive.org/web/20010504220424/www.marxists.org/archive/vygotsky/works/1929/cultural_development.htm>

 This is Vygotsky’s own work in which he discusses, among other things, his theory of the social conditioning of the use of memory in children. He does not spend very much time on this topic, but does outline it in a simple manner.

“Learning About Memory for Permanent Memory Improvement: Research Reports” Online, 20 Oct., 2004.

<http://www.memory-key.com/Parents/learning_strategies_research.htm >

 This web page cites and briefly describes research that is very relevant to our topic, including differences in the affects of memory instruction on younger and older children

Crain, William. Werner’s Organismic and Comparative Theory in Theories of Development, Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. pp. 87-111

 Crain gives a short overview of Heinz Werner’s life and theories and then discusses his work and interests in more depth. He relates Werner’s work to the concerns of today and laudibly respects and defends the value of Werner’s often belittled or ignored contributions to the world of developmental psychology.

 Terms To Be Defined:

 Werner:

 Vygotsky:

 Equipment:

Felt Board

22 items to forming a coherent scene (Beach with palm trees, children, buckets, balls, shells, etc.)

22 different items forming another coherent scene (Farm scene with a barn, animals, landscape, etc.)

Notepad and pencil to take notes

 Methodology/Procedures:

• Select five kindergartners and five third-graders.

 First time: (kindergartners and third-graders)

1. Welcome the child. Introduce the team.
2. Have the child sit with one team member in front of a felt board with the farm scene displayed.
3. Follow script.

Second time: (same kindergartners and third graders)

1. Welcome the child. Introduce the team.
2. Have the child sit with one team member in front of a felt board with the farm scene displayed.
3. Follow script.

Later:

1. Copy handwritten notes onto the computer.
2. Score the child’s response. (see below)
3. Record the data and the child’s score the appropriate tables.