Social isolation and cognitive development: logical operations and role taking abilities in three Norwegian social settings

Abstract

9 measures of conservation, classification, and role taking were administered to children in 3 social settings in rural Norway - a farm community, a village, and a town. The primary difference among the 3 samples was the amount of verbal and social interaction which the children engaged in with parents and peers. In each setting 48 male and female children, equal numbers of 7, 8, and 9 yr olds were tested; the 7 yr olds were preschoolers. Factor analysis yielded 2 main factors a logical operations factor involving all classification and conservation tests and a role taking factor involving all multiple perspective and communications tests. Age effects were prominent in logical operations, while setting effects predominated in role taking. Farm children, the most socially isolated, received relatively low scores on role taking tasks, but performed as well or better than village and town children on logical operations. Contrary to Bruner's hypothesis, language stimulation and schooling do not seem to play a major role in the development of logical operations.