We focus on the description and unfolding of cognitive-intellectual abilities and processes in both children and adolescents. We conduct basic and applied research of learning potential, inductive reasoning and cognitive strategies and we highlight the role of meta-cognition in child and adolescent cognitive development. In addition, we construct (computer-based) adaptive intervention strategies to initiate and guide the unfolding processes by means of dynamic testing procedures.

We focus specifically on children’s ability to learn in relation to their instructability within the domain of inductive reasoning. Distinctive features in our research are: our measurement of learning potential in children by giving them an optimum number of specific hints; the way we test children’s potential psycho-diagnostically; and our implementation of dynamic testing results into recommendations and classroom instruction. 

Central aspects of our research are structured, adaptive hint procedures with cognitive and metacognitive hints, computerized dynamic testing and repeated measurements of children’s cognitive expertise. 

Another focal point is the guided and unguided development of cognitive processes within inductive reasoning. We are unique in our studies of the development of analogical reasoning in young children due to our use of microgenetic measurement procedures in relation to analogical problems solving tasks. The roles of inductive and analogical processing in grammatical development are other topics in this research.

We further focus on the relationship between dynamic testing and cognitive training. Adaptive, structured test forms give in-depth information on strong and weak processing by a child. Computer-based, adaptive cognitive interventions can be focused on these individual differences and can bridge the gap between diagnosis and classroom instruction.