CHILDREN'S ESTIMATES OF PROPORTIONS

2 studies are described, both involving 6and 11-year Ss. The studies are concerned with variables affecting the relations between real and estimated proportions of elements. In the first study 2 categories of elements are employed, and in the second, 3. In each study, 4 problems are presented to each S. The results indicate that, in the 2-category study, the mean estimates of the age groups do not differ. At each age level, Ss were fairly accurate in their estimates, but showed a tendency to underestimate high proportions and overestimate low ones. In the 3-category study, Ss were again fairly accurate, except that 6-year Ss tended to overand underestimate to a significantly greater extent than 11-year Ss.