Inducing a General Conservation of Liquid Quantity Concept in Young Children: Use of a Basic Rule and Feedback

5-yr.-olds were taught the conservation of liquid quantity problem and 2 logically complementary nonconservation problems through a combination of feedback and basic 1-sentence rules. Posttest data obtained 3 days after training by a “blind” research assistant showed that Ss who mastered any one of the liquid quantity problems rended to master both of the other 2 as well. In addition, a limited amount of generalization from the liquid quantity problem to untrained-for conservation of solid quantity problems was found. The pattern of results suggested that Ss in the experimental group learned a strategy of attending to operations and connecting them with their consequences.