Logical operations and role-taking abilities in two cultures: Norway and Hungary

Abstract

9 Piagetian measures of conservation, classification, and role taking, and a task designed to test verbal egocentrism were administered to children in 3 social settings in rural Hungary. The work is an extension of research carried out by Hollos and Cowan in Norway. In each setting 45 male and female children with equal numbers of 7-, 8-, and 9-year-olds were tested. Factor analysis yielded a logical-operations factor and a role-taking factor. Age and setting effects were significant for both factors. The socially isolated children performed less well on role-taking tasks but did significantly better on logical operations at all ages than village and town children. The results are almost identical with the findings of the Norwegian study, further supporting a threshold hypothesis regarding the amount of social interaction needed for the development of logical operations. Language stimulation and the effect of linguistic role marking in Hungarian do not seem to be significant factors, nor is schooling.