New approaches to Lawson’s test: an analysis from Piagetian theories and neuroscience

Abstract

The present study seeks to explore the levels of reasoning among first year higher education students. To measure reasoning and detect the stage of thought development, the Lawson’s test is applied to 2131 first-year university students from two universities in Chile and from one university in Peru. The results show that most students at both the Piura University and the La Serena University present a level of thinking that is located between early transition development and concrete thinking, while the majority of students at Viña del Mar University displayed concrete thinking. The best performance is observed in the item of mass conservation. There is also a consistent difference between men and women on volume conservation and identification and on control of variables. In conclusion, there is evidence of a link between neuroscience and the reasoning levels stated by Piaget, hence their application is recommended, but mainly for first year higher education