School of Humanities and Social Science Division of Social Science 222 Division of Social Science Cognitive Underpinnings of Environmental Behavior over Development Supervisor: CHENG Chen / SOSC Student: VUN Abigail Rou Xin / MATH-STAT Course: UROP 1000, Summer Understanding why people take actions that help or harm the environment is crucial for promoting sustainable behavior. Environmental decisions are rarely the result of a single factor. Rather, they emerge from the interplay between knowledge, moral reasoning, cultural norms, emotional connections, and living experiences. This report explores how individuals’ thought processes, beliefs, and environmental knowledge shape their environmental actions, with a particular focus on the formative years of childhood when attitudes and habits are still developing. It investigates whether early moral and cognitive development influences the likelihood of engaging in pro-environmental behavior, and how these mental foundations evolve as children grow into adulthood. Specifically, this UROP1000 project examined how young children in China think about and act on environmental issues. The study assessed their understanding of recycling as well as their attitudes toward conserving electricity, water, and food, while also exploring the reason behind these behaviors. By combining the data collected from UROP1000 with insights from the literature, this report also highlights the cognitive, emotional, and cultural mechanisms that drive or hinder environmentally responsible behavior. It also offers implications of designing more effective interventions for environmental education programs. Early Arithmetic Skills in Children Supervisor: CHENG Chen / SOSC Student: WANG Jiadi / COMP Course: UROP 1100, Fall Early arithmetic skills are essential for children’s cognitive development and subsequent mathematical achievement. Investigating how children acquire these skills has been a central focus within developmental psychology, particularly given that much of the existing research is situated within Western contexts. This study examines young children’s conceptual understanding and operational abilities in basic arithmetic— specifically, addition and subtraction—through the use of specially designed manipulative tools in the “Adding/Subtraction Cup” project. By focusing on children in China, this research seeks to uncover potential cultural differences in the development of arithmetic skills. Ultimately, our findings may contribute to early mathematical education practices and underscore the significance of cultural contexts in shaping children’s mathematical understanding.
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