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Abstract

This research examined the nature of cognitive stages of political reasoning by adolescents and young adults. It is a further test of the cognitive model of political development. College sophomores received individually administered tasks of formal operations, a group-administered test of formal operations, and the Political Judgment Interview, a semi-structured interview of five dilemmas which focus on questions relating to the jus: distribution of political resources. Analysis supported a necessary but not sufficient relationship between logical concept and political reasoning. Taken with other research findings, the present results provide evidence for a domain of reasoning which is not totally encompassed by reasoning in either the logical or moral domain.

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Logical Concept Prerequisites to Political Development in Adolescence

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