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Aldrich BM, Haden CA. Associations between parents' autonomy supportive management language and children's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics talk during and after tinkering at home. J Exp Child Psychol 2024; 247:106034. [PMID: 39128444 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2024.106034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
We conducted a time series analysis of parents' autonomy supportive and directive language and parents' and children's STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) talk during and after a problem-solving activity (i.e., tinkering). Parent and child dyads (N = 61 children; Mage = 8.10 years; 31 boys; 54% White) were observed at home via Zoom. After tinkering, a researcher elicited children's reflections, and approximately 2 weeks later dyads reminisced together about the experience. During tinkering, the more autonomy supportive STEM talk parents used in 1 min, the more children talked about STEM in the next minute. During reminiscing, parents' autonomy support was also associated with children's STEM talk. Results suggest the importance of considering how both the content and style of parents' talk can support children's STEM engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca M Aldrich
- Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60626, USA.
| | - Catherine A Haden
- Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60626, USA
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2
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Saide A, Richert R. Correspondence in parents' and children's concepts of god: Investigating the role of parental values, religious practices and executive functioning. BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 40:422-437. [PMID: 35524393 PMCID: PMC9544111 DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the extent to which children's concepts of God correspond with their parents' concepts of God. It also examined how parent‐context factors and children's executive functioning relate to parent–child conceptual similarity. Parent–child dyads from varied religious and racial backgrounds participated. Dyads had the greatest conceptual similarity concerning God's mind‐dependent functions. Though correspondence between parents and children was lowest concerning God's body‐dependent functions, dyads were more similar about those functions when parents engaged in more frequent religious practices with their child and thought God was important. Children's concepts of God were unrelated to religious practices, and parent–child conceptual similarity was unrelated to children's age and executive functioning. Simply put, variation among parents' anthropomorphic concepts of God drove variation in parent–child conceptual similarity. Overall, these findings suggest that embodied concepts of God may be most sensitive to cultural input and that socialization practices provide greater insight into parents' anthropomorphic concepts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anondah Saide
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Rebekah Richert
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
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4
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Davoodi T, Clegg JM. When is cultural input central? The development of ontological beliefs about religious and scientific unobservables. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Telli Davoodi
- Wheelock College of Education and Human DevelopmentBoston University Boston Massachusetts USA
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5
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Tarłowski A, Rybska E. Young Children's Inductive Inferences Within Animals Are Affected by Whether Animals Are Presented Anthropomorphically in Films. Front Psychol 2021; 12:634809. [PMID: 34149519 PMCID: PMC8211438 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.634809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Children are exposed to anthropomorphized animals in a variety of contexts. The literature that analyzes this phenomenon suggests that exposure to anthropomorphic media may strengthen children's anthropocentric representation of animals. There is an as yet unexplored difference between anthropomorphized and realistic depictions of multiple animal species presented simultaneously in films. The anthropomorphized animals all behave like humans, so they are more behaviorally similar to one another than animals depicted realistically. We asked whether witnessing multiple species depicted anthropomorphically or realistically influences the way 5-year-old children perceive internal commonalities among animals. One group of children (n = 37) watched a cartoon presenting multiple species of anthropomorphized animals, the other group (n = 38) watched a nature documentary that also presented multiple species. Both groups extended a novel internal feature from an animal to a variety of items including diverse animal species. Children watching a cartoon made significantly stronger projections to non-human animals than children watching the documentary. Children's projections to humans and inanimate objects did not differ between the groups and were uniformly low. One of the possible explanations of the results is in terms of children's essentialist expectation that behavior is caused by internal properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Tarłowski
- Institute of Psychology, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Eliza Rybska
- Laboratory of Nature Education and Conservation, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
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6
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Saide A, Richert R. Concepts of God and Germs: Social Mechanisms and Cognitive Heuristics. Cogn Sci 2021; 45:e12942. [PMID: 34018226 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.12942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that the more individuals view observable entities as animate, the more those entities are associated with having psychological and physiological experiences. This study examined the relationship between children's animistic and anthropomorphic reasoning for concepts of unobservable scientific (i.e., germ) and religious (i.e., God) entities. This study further explored how children's conceptions vary according to the social learning opportunities (i.e., discourse, rituals) parents reportedly create. Parent-child dyads with young children from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds participated. Three central findings emerged. First, children readily associated God with psychobiological characteristics but did not do so to the same extent for germs. Second, children applied more psychobiological properties to both entity types when they believed that the entity was animate. Third, engaging in rituals and discourse with parents was indirectly related to children's concepts of God but not related to their concepts of germs. Overall, this study presented support for a connection between children's animistic and anthropomorphic reasoning for unobservable entities, and an indirect effect of cultural input on this reasoning. The implications of these findings will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anondah Saide
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of North Texas
| | - Rebekah Richert
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside
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7
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Abstract
Young children are adept at several types of scientific reasoning, yet older children and adults have difficulty mastering formal scientific ideas and practices. Why do “little scientists” often become scientifically illiterate adults? We address this question by examining the role of intuition in learning science, both as a body of knowledge and as a method of inquiry. Intuition supports children's understanding of everyday phenomena but conflicts with their ability to learn physical and biological concepts that defy firsthand observation, such as molecules, forces, genes, and germs. Likewise, intuition supports children's causal learning but provides little guidance on how to navigate higher-order constraints on scientific induction, such as the control of variables or the coordination of theory and data. We characterize the foundations of children's intuitive understanding of the natural world, as well as the conceptual scaffolds needed to bridge these intuitions with formal science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Shtulman
- Department of Psychology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California 91104, USA
| | - Caren Walker
- Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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8
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Mazens K, Berger C. Children’s representation of inheritance as a function of perceptual and label cues. ANNEE PSYCHOLOGIQUE 2020. [DOI: 10.3917/anpsy1.204.0297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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Conrad M, Marcovitch S, Boseovski JJ. The friendly fossa: The effect of anthropomorphic language on learning about unfamiliar animals through both storybooks and live animal experiences. J Exp Child Psychol 2020; 201:104985. [PMID: 32932159 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2020.104985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Children's storybooks about animals often use elements of fantasy; even educational storybooks intended to teach children about factual and biological properties include talking animals depicted as more like humans than animals. Previous research has found that anthropomorphic images, specifically in storybooks, hinder factual learning and thus should not be used in the context of educational experiences. However, little research has explored the impact of anthropomorphic language alone as well as its use in other contexts such as zoos where parents often naturally use anthropomorphic language. The current studies explored the impact of anthropomorphic language on learning about an unfamiliar animal (fossa) across two contexts: storybooks (Study 1; N = 48; age range = 4;0-6;3 [years; months]) and a zoo (Study 2a; N = 29; age range = 4;5-7;10). An adult comparison group (Study 2b, N = 82) was also included. Across both studies, there was no evidence that anthropomorphic language decreased factual learning. However, children given anthropomorphic information about a fossa were more likely to generalize anthropomorphic traits, such as emotions, intentions, and preferences, to other fossas, and this was consistent with the adult comparison group. We discuss considerations for parents and educators regarding the appropriateness of fantastical language about animals in experiences specifically designed to support biological learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Conrad
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA.
| | - Stuart Marcovitch
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA
| | - Janet J Boseovski
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA
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Severson RL, Woodard SR. Imagining Others' Minds: The Positive Relation Between Children's Role Play and Anthropomorphism. Front Psychol 2018; 9:2140. [PMID: 30483176 PMCID: PMC6243028 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Children’s role playing, whether personifying toys or imagining invisible friends, involves imagining others’ minds and internal states. Similarly, anthropomorphism – the attribution of internal states to non-human others (e.g., animals, inanimate nature, or technologies) – also involves imagining others’ minds and internal states. We propose that the imaginative process of simulating and projecting internal states is common to both role play and anthropomorphism. The current study investigated the relation between children’s role play and anthropomorphism. Ninety children (5, 7, and 9 years) were administered Individual Differences in Anthropomorphism Questionnaire – Child Form (IDAQ-CF), comprised of the technology-inanimate nature and animal subscales, and the Role Play Scale, which assessed (a) impersonation of animals, people, and/or machines and (b) imaginary companions (ICs), including invisible friends and personified toys. Results indicated that the imaginative act of impersonating an animal, person, and/or machine was positively related to anthropomorphism, and specifically anthropomorphism of inanimate nature and technology. Second, anthropomorphism of animals was highest amongst children with invisible ICs, followed by those with toy ICs and those who impersonated. Finally, children who frequently engaged with an invisible ICs more readily anthropomorphized in general and technology and inanimate nature in particular relative to all other children. Results are discussed in terms of the differing degrees of imagination involved in anthropomorphism of animals versus technology and inanimate nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel L Severson
- Department of Psychology, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States
| | - Shailee R Woodard
- Department of Psychology, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States
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Bunce L. Still life? Children's understanding of the reality status of museum taxidermy. J Exp Child Psychol 2018; 177:197-210. [PMID: 30218845 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2018.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Taxidermied animals provide an important source of information about the natural world, but failure to understand their reality status may result in missed learning opportunities for museum visitors. This study explored 4-10-year-old children's and adults' (N = 207) reality status judgments and biological and authenticity property attributions for a taxidermied rabbit during a museum visit. The aim was to examine their understanding of its former status as a living animal and its current status as an authentic piece of natural history, under different presentation conditions: (a) as a touchable exhibit; (b) inside an exhibition case-untouchable; and (c) in an experimental context paired with a toy rabbit-both touchable. Analysis revealed that there was an increase with age both in judgments that taxidermy was real and authentic and in accuracy of biological property attributions. The toy condition resulted in more accurate reality judgments, whereas the touchable condition resulted in more accurate biological property attributions. There was no effect of age or condition on authenticity property attributions. Accuracy of biological property attributions was also associated with reality status judgments, whereby understanding the real and authentic nature of taxidermy was associated with understanding its biological status. Implications for the development of biological cognition and museum learning are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Bunce
- Department of Psychology, University of Winchester, Winchester, Hampshire SO22 4NR, UK.
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Hurley K, Oakes LM. Infants' Daily Experience With Pets and Their Scanning of Animal Faces. Front Vet Sci 2018; 5:152. [PMID: 30042950 PMCID: PMC6048265 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Very little is known about the effect of pet experience on cognitive development in infancy. In Experiment 1, we document in a large sample (N = 1270) that 63% of families with infants under 12 months have at least one household pet. The potential effect on development is significant as the first postnatal year is a critically important time for changes in the brain and cognition. Because research has revealed how experience shapes early development, it is likely that the presence of a companion dog or cat in the home influences infants' development. In Experiment 2, we assess differences between infants who do and do not have pets (N = 171) in one aspect of cognitive development: their processing of animal faces. We examined visual exploration of images of dog, cat, monkey, and sheep faces by 4-, 6-, and 10-month-old infants. Although at the youngest ages infants with and without pets exhibited the same patterns of visual inspection of these animals faces, by 10 months infants with pets spent proportionately more time looking at the region of faces that contained the eyes than did infants without pets. Thus, exposure to pets contributes to how infants look at and learn about animal faces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karinna Hurley
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Human Development, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Lisa M. Oakes
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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Strouse GA, Nyhout A, Ganea PA. The Role of Book Features in Young Children's Transfer of Information from Picture Books to Real-World Contexts. Front Psychol 2018; 9:50. [PMID: 29467690 PMCID: PMC5807901 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Picture books are an important source of new language, concepts, and lessons for young children. A large body of research has documented the nature of parent-child interactions during shared book reading. A new body of research has begun to investigate the features of picture books that support children's learning and transfer of that information to the real world. In this paper, we discuss how children's symbolic development, analogical reasoning, and reasoning about fantasy may constrain their ability to take away content information from picture books. We then review the nascent body of findings that has focused on the impact of picture book features on children's learning and transfer of words and letters, science concepts, problem solutions, and morals from picture books. In each domain of learning we discuss how children's development may interact with book features to impact their learning. We conclude that children's ability to learn and transfer content from picture books can be disrupted by some book features and research should directly examine the interaction between children's developing abilities and book characteristics on children's learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle A Strouse
- Counselling and Psychology in Education, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, United States
| | - Angela Nyhout
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Patricia A Ganea
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Arenson M, Coley JD. Anthropocentric by Default? Attribution of Familiar and Novel Properties to Living Things. Cogn Sci 2017; 42:253-285. [PMID: 28481420 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.12501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Humans naturally and effortlessly use a set of cognitive tools to reason about biological entities and phenomena. Two such tools, essentialist thinking and teleological thinking, appear to be early developmental cognitive defaults, used extensively in childhood and under limited circumstances in adulthood, but prone to reemerge under time pressure or cognitive load. We examine the nature of another such tool: anthropocentric thinking. In four experiments, we examined patterns of property attribution to a wide range of living and non-living objects, manipulating time pressure, response type, and property (either novel or familiar) in a total of 471 participants. Results showed no tendency toward increased similarity-based attribution patterns indicative of anthropocentric thinking under time pressure. However, anthropocentric thinking was consistently observed for unfamiliar properties. These findings suggest that anthropocentric thinking is not a developmentally persistent cognitive default, but rather a cognitive strategy deliberately employed in situations of uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Arenson
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco & San Francisco VA Medical Center
| | - John D Coley
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University
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15
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Companion Animals and Child/Adolescent Development: A Systematic Review of the Evidence. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017. [PMID: 28264460 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14030234.] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Childhood and adolescence are important developmental phases which influence health and well-being across the life span. Social relationships are fundamental to child and adolescent development; yet studies have been limited to children's relationships with other humans. This paper provides an evidence review for the potential associations between pet ownership and emotional; behavioural; cognitive; educational and social developmental outcomes. As the field is in the early stages; a broad set of inclusion criteria was applied. A systematic search of databases and grey literature sources found twenty-two studies meeting selection criteria. The review found evidence for an association between pet ownership and a wide range of emotional health benefits from childhood pet ownership; particularly for self-esteem and loneliness. The findings regarding childhood anxiety and depression were inconclusive. Studies also showed evidence of an association between pet ownership and educational and cognitive benefits; for example, in perspective-taking abilities and intellectual development. Evidence on behavioural development was unclear due to a lack of high quality research. Studies on pet ownership and social development provided evidence for an association with increased social competence; social networks; social interaction and social play behaviour. Overall, pet ownership and the significance of children's bonds with companion animals have been underexplored; there is a shortage of high quality and longitudinal studies in all outcomes. Prospective studies that control for a wide range of confounders are required.
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Purewal R, Christley R, Kordas K, Joinson C, Meints K, Gee N, Westgarth C. Companion Animals and Child/Adolescent Development: A Systematic Review of the Evidence. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:E234. [PMID: 28264460 PMCID: PMC5369070 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14030234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Revised: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Childhood and adolescence are important developmental phases which influence health and well-being across the life span. Social relationships are fundamental to child and adolescent development; yet studies have been limited to children's relationships with other humans. This paper provides an evidence review for the potential associations between pet ownership and emotional; behavioural; cognitive; educational and social developmental outcomes. As the field is in the early stages; a broad set of inclusion criteria was applied. A systematic search of databases and grey literature sources found twenty-two studies meeting selection criteria. The review found evidence for an association between pet ownership and a wide range of emotional health benefits from childhood pet ownership; particularly for self-esteem and loneliness. The findings regarding childhood anxiety and depression were inconclusive. Studies also showed evidence of an association between pet ownership and educational and cognitive benefits; for example, in perspective-taking abilities and intellectual development. Evidence on behavioural development was unclear due to a lack of high quality research. Studies on pet ownership and social development provided evidence for an association with increased social competence; social networks; social interaction and social play behaviour. Overall, pet ownership and the significance of children's bonds with companion animals have been underexplored; there is a shortage of high quality and longitudinal studies in all outcomes. Prospective studies that control for a wide range of confounders are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Purewal
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, and Institute of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Cheshire CH64 7TE, UK.
| | - Robert Christley
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, and Institute of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Cheshire CH64 7TE, UK.
| | - Katarzyna Kordas
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, 270 Farber Hall, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA.
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK.
| | - Carol Joinson
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK.
| | - Kerstin Meints
- School of Psychology, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 7TS, UK.
| | - Nancy Gee
- Department of Psychology, State University of New York, Fredonia, NY 14063, USA.
- WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Melton Mowbray, Leics LE14 4RT, UK.
| | - Carri Westgarth
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, and Institute of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Cheshire CH64 7TE, UK.
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Geerdts MS, Van de Walle GA, LoBue V. Learning About Real Animals From Anthropomorphic Media. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/0276236615611798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
While a large body of empirical research has investigated preschool-aged children’s knowledge of the natural world, comparatively little attention has been paid to the relevant cultural and social input that shapes the content and development of children’s factual knowledge and conceptual reasoning. In the current research, we experimentally examined the impact of exposure to one particularly common and relevant cultural tool for learning about living things: storybooks. While anthropomorphism—the attribution of human characteristics to nonhuman entities—has long been a staple of children’s storybooks, researchers have only recently focused on directly measuring its effect on children’s knowledge about real animals. Contrary to previous research, we found that anthropomorphic language and pictures in storybooks did not interfere with factual learning about real animals. Even though children did retell anthropomorphic stories using anthropomorphic language, they were nonetheless better at providing factual, biological explanations after being read an anthropomorphic storybook. Our results suggest that anthropomorphism in storybooks may not have the strong, negative impact as previously suggested and supports the need for further research on the potential educational role of fantasy elements such as anthropomorphism in children’s media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan S. Geerdts
- Rutgers University—Newark, NJ, USA
- Department of Psychology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, NC, USA
- Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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18
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Moriguchi Y, Shinohara I, Ishibashi M. Agent Perception in Children with and Without Imaginary Companions. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.1953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Moriguchi
- Department of School Education; Joetsu University of Education; Joetsu Japan
- Japan Science and Technology Agency, PRESTO programme; Kawaguchi-shi Japan
| | - Ikuko Shinohara
- National Institute for Educational Policy Research; Chiyoda-ku Japan
| | - Mikako Ishibashi
- Department of Psychology; Ochanomizu University; Bunkyo-ku Tokyo, Japan
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19
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Geerdts MS. (Un)Real Animals: Anthropomorphism and Early Learning About Animals. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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