Ramani, Geetha Balaraman
(2006)
COOPERATIVE PLAY AND PROBLEM SOLVING IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
The effects of setting on cooperative play and problem solving in preschool children were examined. The study investigated whether a cooperative problem-solving setting that was more like informal social play promoted more effective cooperation and problem solving than a setting that was more structured, and whether the benefits of the play-like setting generalized to another problem solving task. The study also examined the development of cooperative problem solving skills across the preschool years. Four- and five-year-old same-age, same-sex dyads were randomly assigned to complete a problem solving building task in a more play-like, flexible, and child-driven setting or in a more structured and adult-driven setting. The older children built more complete, complex structures with a greater number of blocks than younger children. Children in the play-like setting built more complex structures and utilized observational learning more than children in the structured condition, although no significant condition differences emerged for cooperative behavior and communication. Performance differences also carried over into a subsequent joint problem solving task. Across both settings, individual differences in cooperative skills were related to children's task performance. The results suggest that problem solving skills develop through the preschool years, and that cooperative problem solving in age-appropriate play-like settings is an effective way to promote and investigate both cooperative behavior and cooperative learning in young children.
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Details
Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
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Status: |
Unpublished |
Creators/Authors: |
Creators | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID |
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Ramani, Geetha Balaraman | grb22@pitt.edu | GRB22 | |
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ETD Committee: |
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Date: |
20 March 2006 |
Date Type: |
Completion |
Defense Date: |
25 August 2005 |
Approval Date: |
20 March 2006 |
Submission Date: |
19 November 2005 |
Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
Schools and Programs: |
Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences > Psychology |
Degree: |
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy |
Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
Refereed: |
Yes |
Uncontrolled Keywords: |
cooperative play; peer interaction; cooperative problem solving; preschool children |
Other ID: |
http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-11192005-153828/, etd-11192005-153828 |
Date Deposited: |
10 Nov 2011 20:05 |
Last Modified: |
15 Nov 2016 13:51 |
URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/9721 |
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