THE GROWTH OF CHILDRENS POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE DURING AN ELECTION-YEAR

Groups of first-, third-, and fifth-grade children were interviewed 12 months, 6 months, and 1 month prior to national elections to examine changes in their conceptions of the American presidency and of presidential elections. Response protocols were scored for elaboration, abstraction, and accuracy. Differences among grade levels disappeared by the third time of measurement, as first- and third-graders' knowledge of the presidency and of presidential elections became more elaborated, abstract, and accurate. Fifth-graders' knowledge changed only in terms of accuracy. Comparisons between new groups of first-, third-, and fifth-graders tested 1 month prior to the election and the original groups of first-, third-, and fifth-graders tested 12 months prior to the election indicated a significant cohort effect for the concept of presidential elections but no such effect for the concept of the presidency. These results have specific implications for future research on the development of political cognition.