72 kindergarten males were assessed for reflection-impulsivity with the Matching Familiar Figures test. Cognitive style on this test was examined in relation to intelligence, socioeconomic status, race, fathers' absence, and teachers' ratings of impulsivity. Significant findings included boys whose fathers were absent from the home made more errors on the test than boys whose fathers were present in the home. Teachers rated more intelligent boys as more impulsive, and these teachers' ratings were positively correlated with errors but not latencies. No significant differences in cognitive style were found for race or socioeconomic groups.
References
1.
BarclayA.CusumanoD.Father absence, cross-sex identification and field-dependent behavior in male adolescents. Child Development, 1967, 38, 243–250.
2.
DunnL.Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service, 1965.
3.
EskaB.BlackK.Conceptual tempo in young grade school children. Child Development, 1971, 42, 505–516.
4.
FinchA. J.PezzutiK. A.MontgomeryL. E.KempS. R.Reflection-impulsivity and academic attainment in emotionally disturbed children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 1974, 2, 71–74.
5.
GoldsteinH.PeckR.Maternal differentiation, father absence, and cognitive differentiation in children. Archives of General Psychiatry, 1973, 29, 370–373.
6.
HeiderE.Information processing and the modification of an impulsive conceptual tempo. Child Development, 1971, 42, 1276–1281.
7.
KaganT.Impulsive and reflective children: significance of conceptual tempo. In KrumboltzJ. D. (Ed.), Learning and the educational process. Chicago: Rand-McNally, 1965. Pp. 133–166.
8.
KaganT.RosmanB. L.DayD.AlbertT.PhillipsW.Information processing in the child: significance of analytic and reflective attitudes. Psychological Monographs, 1964, 78, No. 1 (Whole No. 578)
9.
LewisM.RauschM.GoldbergS.DoddC.Error, response time, and IQ: sex differences in cognitive style of preschool children. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1968, 26, 563–568.
10.
MannL.Differences between reflective and impulsive children in tempo and quality of decision making. Child Development, 1973, 44, 274–279.
11.
MesserS.Reflection-impulsivity: a review. Psychological Bulletin, 1976, 83, 1026–1052.
12.
MischelW.Introduction to personality. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1976.
13.
SchwebelA.Effects of impulsivity on performance of verbal tasks in middle- and lower-class children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1966, 36, 13–21.
14.
WardW.Reflection-impulsivity in kindergarten children. Child Development, 1968, 29, 867–874.
