For parents and teachers who come to grief when they try to persuade children to do their bidding, science last week had cheering news. Data was gathered by research at University of Michigan on how to talk to moppets and make it stick.
Dr. Marguerite Wilker Johnson, a supervisor of the University's laboratory elementary school, tried out the relative effectiveness of cajolery, flattery, commands, threats and scolding on 40 matched pairs of children aged 2½ to 8½. One youngster of a pair received specific instructions, the other general ones; one simple instructions, the...
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