Acquisition of conservation through learning a consistent classifactory system for quantities

Abstract A group of non-conservers underwent learning set training designed to induce acquisition of conservation by teaching the necessary relationships for it to be inferred. In the training group 14 out of 16 Ss attained conservation, whereas only 4 out of 16 controls did so. Then all Ss were given training designed to convice them that two initially equal quantities may still be substituted for one another in a common measure even if they no longer appear to be equal. Finally all conservers were given a faked demonstration of non-conservation. The Ss who had been trained to conserve did not resist this demonstration, whereas 50 percent of a group of natural conservers did so. The training procedure is discussed in relation to learning and equilibration theory.