Developmental Changes of Judging Processes and Sex Differences in Judgement of Weights Addition

This study aimed at clarifying differences in judging processes at grade levels in judgement of weights addition. Six to thirteen year-old children (total 222) were subjected to the task, and the 6- and 12-year-old children's performance were seen to go down. The error styles of each grade levels were examined and those grades were divided into two groups: high performing group (9-, 11-, 13-year-olds) and low performing group: 6-, 8-, 12-year-olds. The effects of correctional feedback were investigated in the latter one. The results showed: the 6-year-olds showed neither consistent errors, nor the effects of feedback; however among the 8-year-olds, the effects of feedback were observed in the experimental (feedback) group only, whereas the 12-year-olds presented the same error tendency as the 8-year-olds did and their performance went up in the control (non-feedback) as well as in the experimental group. Sex differences were observed on both performance and effects of feedback. From these results it was concluded that a poor performance does not necessarily correspond to a poor cognitive ability.