Abstract

In literature planning skills have been usually assessed by computing the number of successes and errors: it looks like a restrictive method, because it does not allow to observe developmental changes in planning strategies. The present study was designed to investigate the development of planning performance through the analysis of strategies elaborated at different ages. A computerized version of a maze test was administered to fourty 10-years-old and fourty 12-years-old children. Results shown that: a) in this period qualitative and quantitative improvements in planning ability appear in the light of age and depending on individual differences; b) the greater duration of the first pause, the ability to correct errors and speed in executing moves are crucial to solving the task; c) in such tasks the number of errors cannot be considered a reliable index of planning capacity.