Predictive Validity of Assessments of Early Cognitive Competence in Light of Some Current Issues in Developmental Psychology

Abstract

The low predictive validity of [human] infant tests is discussed in light of some current issues in developmental psychology. The main issues considered are continuity-discontinuity in the development of early cognitive-competence, the problem of intellectual heterogeneity, and the issue of individual-environment transactions. Some suggestions concerning how predictive vality may be increased are discussed, as is the choice of criteria other than predictive validity for evaluating the usefulness of infant tests.