Examining Cognitive Developmental Stages Using Unfolding Models

• In Event: Hilton Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: Division D Section 1 Roundtable Topic: Cognitive Diagnostic Models

Abstract

Unfolding models have a long history, and they have been suggested for examining stage-like development especially for attitudinal and personality developmental measurement (Coombs & Smith, 1973; Loevinger, 1966). The use of unfolding models in examining cognitive development has not been much considered, but it is very promising since children at different cognitive developmental stages answer different subsets of items correctly (Draney, Wilson, Glück, & Spiel, 2007). Based on this phenomena, this study proposes the use of a probabilistic unfolding model for examining developmental data based on a cognitive test of deductive reasoning. Results indicate that items and children across developmental stages are well-separated by an unfolding scale. Unfolding models can be potentially useful tools for exploring developmental stages.

Authors

• Jue Wang, University of Science and Technology of China

• George Engelhard, University of Georgia