Cognitive Level & Negotiation Strategy of Same-aged and Mix-aged Young Children in Dyadic Collaboration
AUTHOR : 이소은, 조재현
INFORMATION : page. 35~48 / 2004 Vol.11 No.1
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to examine the change in cognitive level of same-aged and mixed-aged young children and degree of negotiation strategy under interactions in dyadic collaboration. Seventy-two subjects were selected from 2 public kindergartens in J city, Chungbuk Province, where a total of 36 couples were grouped as a dyad. Twelve were 4- 4-year-old dyads, 12 were 4-5-year-old dyads, and 12 were 4-6-year-old dyads. Cognitive level and degree of negotiation strategy of the subjects were determined by making them predict the assignment of mathematical balance scale. Mann-Whitney test and Analysis of Covariance were used to analyse the data. The results of this study were as follows: First, the change of cognitive level of young children in dyadic collaboration varied depends on their interaction partner. That is, the improvement of cognitive level of mixed-aged interaction group was relatively higher than that of same-aged interaction group, which means that the dyadic collaboration activities between mixed-aged children were more effective in improving their cognitive level. But, the cognitive level of elder children who had interaction with younger ones were not changed. Second, the negotiation strategy of mixed-aged dyads were relatively higher than that of same-aged dyads, and the more the difference of age between mixed-aged dyads, the level of negotiation strategy used was higher. But under free playing situation, there was little or no difference between same-aged and mixed-aged group in negotiation strategy level. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that younger children can have more enhancement in their cognitive level and negotiation strategy level when they interact with older children as mixed-aged dyads within the Zone of Proximal Development(ZPD).