COGNITIVE-DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS IN CHINA AND THE USA - OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS

''Universality'' has been claimed as one of the major characteristics for theories of cognitive development. Based in part on the work of Pi aget and Kohlberg, Ferry developed a cognitive scheme of phases of int ellectual development along which students in the USA move during thei r college years. An inventory designed to assess the Ferry's stages of cognitive development of Chinese students was constructed, modeled af ter several American inventories. Based on responses by 808 Chinese st udents, cognitive development seemed to proceed in the direction oppos ite from that of the U.S. students at least during the first three und ergraduate years. Explanations include the current environment in Chin ese education.