Rule following as a function of psychological development and language comprehension

Abstract

From a behavioral perspective, the taxonomy of rule following proposed by Peláez and Moreno (1998) may be formulated in hierarchical terms consistent with the difficulty, level of adjustment, and actual frequency of occurrence of rule-following behavior. In this study we assumed that the levels of psychological development and language comprehension of our participants were relevant to rule following. To evaluate this possibility, we elaborated the Instrument of Rule following with 4 Dimensions (IR4D) battery, which comprises 16 rules designed according to our taxonomy. The IR4D battery was administered to eighty 4-, 6-, 8- or 10-year-old children with average or low levels of language comprehension. The results are consistent with the theoretical assumptions of Peláez and Moreno (1998) on the learning of rules, and suggest a progressive extension of rule-following behavior along the dimensions of the proposed taxonomy. The properties that a rule should have to be followed successfully are also made evident in this study.