This paper represents an attempt to summarize what is known in cognitive, developmental and social psychology on the nature of human naive theories, The parallel human mind / www is drawn, and it is shown how the challenges addressed in Data Mining and Knowledge Acquisition are present in the mind of the individual as well. The process of cognitive development and knowledge acquisition is such ...

Beliefs and practices regarding infant feeding were examined among middle-class Puerto Rican and Anglo mothers of 12-month old infants. In particular, Anglo (n=32) mothers in Connecticut and Puerto Rican (n=28) mothers in San Juan were interviewed regarding their expectations for the attainment of selected feeding-related milestones, and observed in an actual feeding situation with their infant...

The horror film industry brings in viewers from all over the world and from every caste of life. But, people differ greatly in their enjoyment of horror movies. The primary purpose of this research was to look at the individual differences in people’s horror film viewing behavior; furthermore, whether certain personality traits predicted physiological reactions to horror film viewing. This rese...

In the last few years, researchers have begun to study novel human communication systems in the laboratory (Experimental Semiotics, ES). The first goal of this article is to provide a primer to ES, which we will do by reviewing the experimental paradigms developed by experimental semioticians, as well as the main research themes that have emerged in the discipline. A second goal is to illustrat...

This paper summarizes the results of 11 separate studies of deaf children’s performance on standard tests of false belief understanding, the results of which combine to show that deaf children from hearing families are likely to be delayed in acquiring a theory of mind. Indeed, these children generally perform no better than autistic individuals of similar mental age. Conversational and neurolo...

This paper presents an overview of recent research and theory concerning adolescent sexual activity, pregnancy, and parenthood. Although the rate of teenage childbearing has decreased substantially since mid-century, increasing proportions of teenage mothers who are unmarried and receiving welfare have raised public concern about repercussions of young parenthood. New research with innovative m...

An illusion of explanatory depth (IOED) occurs when people believe they understand a concept more deeply than they actually do. To date, IOEDs have been identified only in mechanical and natural domains, constraining our understanding of why they occur and suggesting that their implications are quite limited. We suggest that IOEDs occur because people adopt an inappropriately abstract construal...

This chapter draws attention to the crucial role of “private” speech in Vygotsky’s (1934/1962; 1930-1935/1978; 1934/1987) theory of the development of higher psychological processes. Private speech, or speaking aloud to oneself, is a phenomenon of child development that Vygotsky interpreted as the critical transitional process between speaking with others and thinking for oneself. Unfortunately...

In recent years, the use of gender neutral-terminology has become commonplace. At times, the practice is awkward, as when a writer or speaker avoids generic terms that are also used exclusively for males. "Human" or "person" then replaces "man," and "he or she" is often used instead of merely "he." Despite the awkwardness, this practice may have the positive effect of reminding readers or liste...

In this review essay, Francis Schrag focuses on two recent anthologies dealing completely or in part with the role of neuroscience in learning and education: The Jossey-Bass Reader on the Brain and Learning, edited by Jossey-Bass Publishers, and New Philosophies of Learning, edited by Ruth Cigman and Andrew Davis. Schrag argues that philosophers of education do have a distinctive role in the co...