Gender-associated development of formal operations in Nigerian adolescents.

Publisher: University of California Press Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 9877005 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 0091-2131 (Print) Linking ISSN: 00912131 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Ethos

Original Publication: Berkeley : University of California Press,

Adolescent* ; Culture* ; Psychology* ; Sex Factors* ; Statistics as Topic*; Africa ; Africa South of the Sahara ; Africa, Western ; Age Factors ; Behavior ; Demography ; Developing Countries ; Nigeria ; Population ; Population Characteristics ; Research ; Social Sciences

Indexing Agency: PIP Local ID #: 083358. Indexing Agency: POP Local ID #: 00223803.
Keywords: Adolescents*; Africa; Africa South Of The Sahara; Age Factors; Behavior; Cultural Background*; Data Analysis*; Demographic Factors; Developing Countries; English Speaking Africa; Nigeria; Population; Population Characteristics; Psychological Factors*; Psychology*; Research Methodology; Research Report*; Sex Factors*; Social Sciences; Western Africa; Youth
Note: TJ: ETHOS
Local Abstract: [PIP] The mode of thought termed formal operations allows individuals to cope with the requirements of mature functioning in society as their social horizons expand. This paper investigates the development of this thought process during adolescence in Nigerian subjects. The researchers launched the investigation based upon concerns that research findings in non-Western cultures may reflect the cultural biases of Western-rooted measures use in addition to problematic testing materials. Findings are presented from a study of the development of causal inference and the effect of sex differences in the development of cognitive skills in 96 youths aged 10-18 years from the Ekise of Amakiri, an Ijo town in the Niger Delta. Overall development of causal reasoning was found across age in participants. While the 10-12 year olds may not achieve formal operations with the frequency of Americans in the age group, Nigerians close the gap by age 18. These results confirm the hypothesis that problems which test experimental logic with culturally familiar materials are more useful in correctly gauging the cognitive abilities of subjects uncomfortable in a formal testing situation and unfamiliar with laboratory materials used in most Piagetian tests. Minimal differences were observed between scores of males and females aged 10-12, but female scores dropped compared to men's between ages 12-17. A reequilibrium of cognitive ability did, however, take place for ages 17 and 18 years.

Date Created: 19930301 Date Completed: 19940201 Latest Revision: 20191027

20231215

10.1525/eth.1993.21.1.02a00020

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