The materials used consisted of standard wide-mouth beakers and taller and narrower graduated glass containers filled with various quantities of colored liquid. The liquid used was ordinary tap water containing blue food dye. The wide-mouth beakers had a maximum volume approximately three times that of the maximum volume of the taller glass containers. The height of the wide-mouth beakers was 5.5 inches and the height of the taller glass containers was 13 inches. The diameter of the wide-mouth beakers was 3 inches; the diameter of the taller glass containers was 1 inch.

Before conducting a demonstration using the liquid, the experimenter engaged the subject in sufficient conversation to establish a rapport. The experimenter then asked the subject to look at the empty containers and hypothesize which container would likely hold more fluid, recording those results. Subjects who indicated an awareness of the conservation at this stage were interviewed and asked...
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