Perceprual and Mot07 ~ k i l l s ,1975, 41, 361-362. @ Percepmal and Motor Skills 1975
NOTE O N CONSERVATION DIFFERENCES FOR INDIAN A N D WHITE CHILDREN1 ALAN D. BOWD University 01 Victoria Sammavy.-Piagetian tasks for the conservation of length and volume were administered to two groups of 7- and 8-yr.-old Canadian Indian and white children (ns = 35, 3 3 ) . There was no significant difference across groups for the conservation of length; however, conservation of volume and the ability to conserve both length and volume resulted in a higher proportion of successful performances for the white group.
According to Piaget the ability to conserve a quantity of material over transformations in its appearance represents the internalization of reversible operations characterizing the important transition from preoperational to concrete operational modes of thinking (Piaget, 1952; Piaget & Inhelder, 1969). Cross-cultural studies of conservation have shown that differences between groups in operational development relate to such factors as linguistic skills (Dasen, 1972; De Lacey, 1970; Vernon, 1969) and the abiliry to ignore misleading perceptual cues ( Fur by, 197 1) . The development of conservation shows extensive differences for children from non-Western cultural environments (Dasen, 1972), indicating that with respect to the rate of development cultural factors are of considerable importance. While cultural differences, per se, have been shown to be significant, it appears evident currently that "at this stage of research we do not know the important variables in any culture which bear upon cognitive development" (Philp & Kelly, 1975, p. 255 ). The present study examines the acquisition of conservation of length and volume among a group of Canadian Indian children and a group of whites. The subjects were 7- and 8-yr.-olds selected irrespective of grade level achieved. Thirty-five Indian children (20 boys, 15 girls) whose mean age was 7.11 yr. (SD 7 mo.) were tested. All were from a central Manitoba reserve where English is spoken exclusively. The mean grade level attained was 1.4. The white children were from a Winnipeg elementary school; there were 19 boys and 14 girls. The mean age of the white sample was 8.1 yr. (SD 7 mo.), and the mean grade level attained was 2.4. Two assessements of the ability to conserve were made, one for the conservation of length and one for the conservation of volume. The techniques employed were identical to those of Philp and Kelly (1975). Of the Indian children 37% and 58% of the white children conserved length; however, the difference was not statistically significant (x2 = 2.96). 'This study was facilitated by Grant No. 431-2501-04 of the Research Board, University of Manitoba.
362
A. D. BOWD
Of the Indian children 43% and 67% of the whites conserved volume, a difference which was significant at the .05 level (x? = 3.84). When the groups were compared for those children who conserved both length and volume, 29% of the Indian sample and 55% of the whites, the difference achieved significance at the .O5 level = 4.33). The magnitude of differences observed in the rate of acquisition of conservation in this study is small in relation to those noted for comparisons employing more traditional cultural groups (Dasen, 1972), and might tentatively be attributed to differences in the quality of English spoken in the home together with differences in socioeconomic status.
(x2
REFERENCES DASEN, P. R. Cross-cultural Piagetian research: a summary. Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology, 1972, 3, 23-39. DE LACEY,P. R. A cross-cultural study of classificatory ability in Australia. Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology, 1970, 1 , 293-304. FURBY,L. A theoretical analysis of cross-cultural research in cognitive development: Piaget's conservation task. Journal of Crorr-cultural Psychology, 1971, 2, 241-255. PHILP,H., & KELLY,M. Product and process in cognitive development: some comparative data on the performance of children in different cultures. British Journal o f Educational Psychology, 1975. 4 5 , 248-265. PIAGET,J. The child's conception of number. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1952. PIAGET,J., & INHELDER, B. The psychology o f the child. New York: Basic Books, 1969. VERNON, P. E. intelligence and cultural envi~onment. London: Methuen, 1969.
Accepted Arbgust 7 , 1975.
NOTE O N CONSERVATION DIFFERENCES FOR INDIAN A N D WHITE CHILDREN1 ALAN D. BOWD University 01 Victoria Sammavy.-Piagetian tasks for the conservation of length and volume were administered to two groups of 7- and 8-yr.-old Canadian Indian and white children (ns = 35, 3 3 ) . There was no significant difference across groups for the conservation of length; however, conservation of volume and the ability to conserve both length and volume resulted in a higher proportion of successful performances for the white group.
According to Piaget the ability to conserve a quantity of material over transformations in its appearance represents the internalization of reversible operations characterizing the important transition from preoperational to concrete operational modes of thinking (Piaget, 1952; Piaget & Inhelder, 1969). Cross-cultural studies of conservation have shown that differences between groups in operational development relate to such factors as linguistic skills (Dasen, 1972; De Lacey, 1970; Vernon, 1969) and the abiliry to ignore misleading perceptual cues ( Fur by, 197 1) . The development of conservation shows extensive differences for children from non-Western cultural environments (Dasen, 1972), indicating that with respect to the rate of development cultural factors are of considerable importance. While cultural differences, per se, have been shown to be significant, it appears evident currently that "at this stage of research we do not know the important variables in any culture which bear upon cognitive development" (Philp & Kelly, 1975, p. 255 ). The present study examines the acquisition of conservation of length and volume among a group of Canadian Indian children and a group of whites. The subjects were 7- and 8-yr.-olds selected irrespective of grade level achieved. Thirty-five Indian children (20 boys, 15 girls) whose mean age was 7.11 yr. (SD 7 mo.) were tested. All were from a central Manitoba reserve where English is spoken exclusively. The mean grade level attained was 1.4. The white children were from a Winnipeg elementary school; there were 19 boys and 14 girls. The mean age of the white sample was 8.1 yr. (SD 7 mo.), and the mean grade level attained was 2.4. Two assessements of the ability to conserve were made, one for the conservation of length and one for the conservation of volume. The techniques employed were identical to those of Philp and Kelly (1975). Of the Indian children 37% and 58% of the white children conserved length; however, the difference was not statistically significant (x2 = 2.96). 'This study was facilitated by Grant No. 431-2501-04 of the Research Board, University of Manitoba.
362
A. D. BOWD
Of the Indian children 43% and 67% of the whites conserved volume, a difference which was significant at the .05 level (x? = 3.84). When the groups were compared for those children who conserved both length and volume, 29% of the Indian sample and 55% of the whites, the difference achieved significance at the .O5 level = 4.33). The magnitude of differences observed in the rate of acquisition of conservation in this study is small in relation to those noted for comparisons employing more traditional cultural groups (Dasen, 1972), and might tentatively be attributed to differences in the quality of English spoken in the home together with differences in socioeconomic status.
(x2
REFERENCES DASEN, P. R. Cross-cultural Piagetian research: a summary. Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology, 1972, 3, 23-39. DE LACEY,P. R. A cross-cultural study of classificatory ability in Australia. Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology, 1970, 1 , 293-304. FURBY,L. A theoretical analysis of cross-cultural research in cognitive development: Piaget's conservation task. Journal of Crorr-cultural Psychology, 1971, 2, 241-255. PHILP,H., & KELLY,M. Product and process in cognitive development: some comparative data on the performance of children in different cultures. British Journal o f Educational Psychology, 1975. 4 5 , 248-265. PIAGET,J. The child's conception of number. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1952. PIAGET,J., & INHELDER, B. The psychology o f the child. New York: Basic Books, 1969. VERNON, P. E. intelligence and cultural envi~onment. London: Methuen, 1969.
Accepted Arbgust 7 , 1975.
