The Development of Time Concepts in Young Children: Reasoning about Duration

Abstract

LEVIN, IRIS. The Development of Time Concepts in Young Children: Reasoning about Duration. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1977, 48, 435-444. A sample of 144 children from nursery school, first, and third grade were given a series of problems in which they were required to judge which of 2 synchronous events was' longer in duration and to rationalize their judgments. 3 types of problems were used-still (the sleeping of a pair of dolls), (the rotating of a pair of figures on 2 axes), and (the traveling of 2 toy cars)-which differed in the type and number of interfering variables. While there was none in still time, speed was an interfering variable in rotational time and speed as well as distance in linear time. In line with expectations, the ability to judge duration and to rationalize it logically increased with age and was dependent on the type and number of interfering variables. The information processing involved was clarified by a 3-dimensional facet model which was partially supported by Guttman Scalogram Analysis. A general model for the development of concepts is presented and its relation to cognitive development in other areas is discussed.