Research Project 2 Piaget’s Pendulum Problem

Pair up with a classmate. One of you is to present the other with Piaget's pendulum task. Then reverse roles and one of you will present the other with Piaget’s chemical task. Then test an 11-year-old on the two tasks.

For the pendulum task, provide a frame for a pendulum as well as various lengths of string and a number of weights of equal size, Instruct your subjects to assemble the pendulum and to identify the variable(s) that determine the period of the pendulum swing. The possible variables to manipulate are length, weight, height of the drop, and force of the initial push. Record on the data sheet the variables that the subjects manipulate and the way in which subjects organize the manipulations.

For the chemical task, provide water, hydrogen peroxide, potassium iodine, acid, and thiosulfate in five numbered flasks. All of the chemicals are initially clear liquids. The subjects must determine which combination of chemicals produces a mixture with the color yellow. Record on the data sheet the variables that the subjects manipulate and the way in which subjects organize the manipulations.

Both tasks present combination problems, which are solved by systematically manipulating each of the variables and all of the possible combinations of variables to identify the correct solution. These tasks test for aspects of formal operational reasoning. After making the observations, answer the questions that follow.

DATA SHEET

Task Subject 1 Subject 2

Sex____Age___ Sex___ Age ___

Pendulum Task

Chemical Task

Questions

1. How did the students solve the tasks? How would you characterize the responses? Did the students systematically manipulate the variables?

2. How did the 11-year-old solve the tasks? How would you characterize the 11-year-old’s responses? Did he or she systematically manipulate the variables?

3. What differences did you observe in performance of the younger and older adolescent? How would you characterize their performances according to Piaget's theory? Did you find evidence of formal operational reasoning in either, both, or neither of your subjects? How would you account for your findings? What is the nature of the difference between performances of the younger and older adolescent?

Chapter 13

Research project 1 Interviewing Friends about Dating

Use the structured interview format presented on the data sheet to interview two friends – one male and one female – about the reasons they date. Record each subject’s answers on the data sheet and then answer the questions.

DATA SHEET

Questions Subject 1 Subject 2

Age____ Sex___ Age_____Sex____

1. What is the most you go on a date?

2. What are two other reasons you date?

3.How do you decide

whom to date?

4. What do you do if you

are interested in

someone you

would like to date?

Questions

1. What was the male's most important reason for dating? How did that differ from his other reasons for dating?

2. What was the female's most important reason for dating? How did that differ from her other reasons for dating?

3. Did the reasons for dating differ for the mate and female you interviewed? Did the way they go about getting dates differ? Did they seem to follow traditional male-female roles, or were they nontraditional? How did their reasons for dating compare to the four functions of dating reported in the text?