Counting strategies and semantic analysis as applied to class inclusion

Abstract

This study examined strategic and semantic aspects of the answers given by preschool children to class inclusion problems. The Piagetian logical model for class inclusion was contrasted with an alternative, problem processing model in three experiments. A major component of the alternative model is an enumeration strategy which is advantageous for learning reliable counting skills. The counting strategy was found to explain the inclusion errors of young children better than did the logic of the task. It was also found that young children understand the semantics of inclusion but are unable to coordinate their semantic knowledge with their counting strategy. Methodologically, one of the experiments suggested a fruitful extension of task analysis (Simon, 1969) to experimental design.