Feedback, Rule Knowledge, and Conservation Learning

Abstract

BRAINERD, CHARLES J. Feedback, Rule Knowledge, and Conservation Learning. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1977, 48, 404-411. The effects of judgment-contingent feedback and prior knowledge of 3 rules on children's conservation learning were examined. Existing data do not allow one to decide between competing interpretations of the effects of these variables. Data on feedback, though extensive, can be interpreted as evidence of concept learning or a response set. Data on 3 rules which are theoretically relevant to conservation (identity, inversion, compensation) are sketchy. An aptitude x treatment experiment was conducted in which the aptitude variables were nonconservers' knowledge of the 3 rules and the treatment variable was judgment-contingent feedback. Feedback training produced generalized and temporally stable improvements in equivalence conservation that, due to correlated improvements in difference conservation, could not be interpreted as a response set. 1 of the rules (inversion) was functionally related to learning, but the others were not. The observed developmental ordering of the rules was inversion --> compensation/qualitative identity --> quantitative identity.