1
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Ban J, Msall C, Douglas AA, Rittle-Johnson B, Laski EV. Knowing what they know: Preschool teachers' knowledge of math skills and its relation to instruction. J Exp Child Psychol 2024; 246:105996. [PMID: 38981334 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2024.105996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Math experiences during the preschool years play an important role in children's later math learning. Preschool teachers exhibit considerable variability in the amount and types of mathematics activities they engage in with their students; one potentially important source of these individual differences is adults' knowledge of early math development. The current study aimed to describe preschool teachers' knowledge of numeracy, patterning, and spatial/geometric skills developed in preschool and its relation to their reported mathematics instruction. Participants (N = 83) completed a survey in which they judged whether particular early math skills could be observed in typically developing 4-year-olds in the United States and reported their frequency of engaging in different math instructional activities. Pre- and in-service preschool teachers' knowledge varied across the different domains (i.e., numeracy, patterning, and spatial/geometric) of mathematical thinking, but their reported frequency of instruction did not. Teachers who were found to be more accurate in their knowledge of early math development were more likely to report higher frequency of math instruction; looking specifically at the domains, the strength of association between knowledge and instruction was the strongest for numeracy. Such findings highlight the possibility that supporting preschool teachers' knowledge of the range of math skills their students can be developing may be one component of improving early math teaching and learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiwon Ban
- Department of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.
| | - Camille Msall
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
| | - Ashli-Ann Douglas
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
| | - Bethany Rittle-Johnson
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
| | - Elida V Laski
- Department of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.
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2
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Bjorklund DF. The evolution of pretend play and an extended juvenile period and their implications for early education. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 164:105805. [PMID: 38977115 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- David F Bjorklund
- Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, United States.
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3
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Samuelsson R. Navigating proxy failures in education: Learning from human and animal play. Behav Brain Sci 2024; 47:e84. [PMID: 38738347 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x23002972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
The notion of proxy failure provides considerable insight into educational processes, and in childhood education has the potential to elucidate known problems stemming from the early implementation of overly regulated educational regimes. This commentary expands on play and how its relation to learning provides a useful perspective on how activities based on nongoal-oriented interactions can lead to desired outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Samuelsson
- Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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4
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Burchinal M, Whitaker A, Jenkins J, Bailey D, Watts T, Duncan G, Hart E. Unsettled science on longer-run effects of early education. Science 2024; 384:506-508. [PMID: 38696579 DOI: 10.1126/science.adn2141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
More rigorous research is needed on how to design programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Burchinal
- School of Education and Human Development University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Anamarie Whitaker
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Jade Jenkins
- School of Education, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Drew Bailey
- School of Education, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Tyler Watts
- Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Greg Duncan
- School of Education, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Emma Hart
- Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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5
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Faundez L, Kaestner R. Estimating a Theoretically Consistent Human Capital Production Function With an Application to Head Start. EVALUATION REVIEW 2024:193841X241239512. [PMID: 38504596 DOI: 10.1177/0193841x241239512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
This article describes a conceptual and empirical approach for estimating a human capital production function of child development that incorporates mother- or child-fixed effects. The use of mother- or child-fixed effects is common in this applied economics literature, but its application is often inconsistent with human capital theory. We outline the problem and demonstrate its empirical importance with an analysis of the effect of Head Start and preschool on child and adult outcomes. The empirical specification we develop has broad implications for a variety of applied microeconomic analyses beyond our specific application. Results of our analysis indicate that attending Head Start or preschool had no economically or statistically significant effect on child or adult outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Faundez
- Law School, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Robert Kaestner
- Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago and NBER, Chicago, IL, USA
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6
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Johnson AD, Partika A, Martin A, Horm D, Phillips DA. A deeper dive, a wider pool: Preschool benefits sustain to first grade on a broader set of outcomes. Child Dev 2023; 94:1298-1318. [PMID: 37032515 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
The current study provides new evidence on the sustained benefits of preschool attendance on a broader range of skills-both academic and executive functioning (EF)-than many prior studies have examined. Using propensity score methods, we predicted children's (N = 920, M age at 1st = 6.5 years) literacy, language, math, and EF skills in kindergarten and again at first-grade (2020-2021) based on whether they had attended public preschool (school-based pre-k; Head Start) versus no preschool. In our race-ethnically diverse sample of children (48% Hispanic/Latinx; 21% Black; 14% White; 9% Native American; 9% multiracial) from low-income families, preschool attenders showed advantages on English literacy, English language, and math in kindergarten, which mostly persisted into first-grade. Preschool did not boost EF in kindergarten or first-grade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna D Johnson
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Anne Partika
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Anne Martin
- Independent Consultant, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Diane Horm
- Early Childhood Education Institute, University of Oklahoma, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Deborah A Phillips
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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7
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Burchinal M. Early care and education. ADVANCES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 65:135-167. [PMID: 37481296 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acdb.2023.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
This chapter briefly reviews the history of early care and education (ECE) in the United States, the ECE conceptual frameworks, how ECE is organized, who uses ECE, and associations between ECE experiences and child outcomes. Nonparent care is now experienced by most children in the United States, with home-based care most common for infants and toddlers and center-based care for preschoolers. ECE settings that involve frequent and responsive teacher-child interactions and access to age-appropriate activities appear to promote children's cognitive and social development, although those associations tend to be quite modest. Publicly funded programs like Head Start and pre-kindergarten programs tend to serve children from low-income families, and are successful in promoting school readiness skills, especially early academic skills. However, the impacts of today's programs largely disappear in the first years of elementary school, and even flipped from being positive to negative in the methodologically most rigorous studies. Explanations for this fadeout are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Burchinal
- University of Virginia, School of Education and Human Development, Charlottesville, VA, United States.
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8
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Watts TW, Jenkins JM, Dodge KA, Carr RC, Sauval M, Bai Y, Escueta M, Duer J, Ladd H, Muschkin C, Peisner-Feinberg E, Ananat E. Understanding Heterogeneity in the Impact of Public Preschool Programs. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2023; 88:7-182. [PMID: 37309210 PMCID: PMC10399598 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We examine the North Carolina Pre-K (NC Pre-K) program to test the hypothesis that observed variation in effects resulting from exposure to the program can be attributed to interactions with other environmental factors that occur before, during, or after the pre-k year. We examine student outcomes in 5th grade and test interaction effects between NC's level of investment in public pre-k and moderating factors. Our main sample includes the population of children born in North Carolina between 1987 and 2005 who later attended a public school in that state, had valid achievement data in 5th grade, and could be matched by administrative record review (n = 1,207,576; 58% White non-Hispanic, 29% Black non-Hispanic, 7% Hispanic, 6% multiracial and Other race/ethnicity). Analyses were based on a natural experiment leveraging variation in county-level funding for NC Pre-K across NC counties during each of the years the state scaled up the program. Exposure to NC Pre-K funding was defined as the per-4-year-old-child state allocation of funds to a county in a year. Regression models included child-level and county-level covariates and county and year fixed effects. Estimates indicate that a child's exposure to higher NC Pre-K funding was positively associated with that child's academic achievement 6 years later. We found no effect on special education placement or grade retention. NC Pre-K funding effects on achievement were positive for all subgroups tested, and statistically significant for most. However, they were larger for children exposed to more disadvantaged environments either before or after the pre-k experience, consistent with a compensatory model where pre-k provides a buffer against the adverse effects of prior negative environmental experiences and protection against the effects of future adverse experiences. In addition, the effect of NC Pre-K funding on achievement remained positive across most environments, supporting an additive effects model. In contrast, few findings supported a dynamic complementarity model. Instrumental variables analyses incorporating a child's NC Pre-K enrollment status indicate that program attendance increased average 5th grade achievement by approximately 20% of a standard deviation, and impacts were largest for children who were Hispanic or whose mothers had less than a high school education. Implications for the future of pre-k scale-up and developmental theory are discussed.
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9
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Courtney JR, Garcia JT, Rowberry J, Eckberg N, Dinces SM, Lobaugh CS, Tolman RT. Measuring impact of New Mexico prekindergarten on standardized test scores and high school graduation using propensity score matching. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION POLICY 2023; 17:9. [PMID: 36968188 PMCID: PMC10024794 DOI: 10.1186/s40723-023-00112-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The long-term impact of prekindergarten programs is an important consideration given the trend of dedicating more resources to these programs. However, long-term impact of prekindergarten programs is not well-understood and recent studies have shown preschool effectiveness can vary across states and programs. A state run prekindergarten program in New Mexico was examined using propensity score matching to minimize selection bias. The research revealed a number of long-term impacts corresponding with prekindergarten participation for the cohort including a 9.7 percentage point increase in high school graduation rates and improved reading and math proficiency at third, sixth, and eighth grades. Considerations for future research and challenges in implementing prekindergarten programs are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon R. Courtney
- State of New Mexico, Legislative Finance Committee, Program Evaluation Unit, 325 Don Gaspar Ave, Suite 101, Santa Fe, NM 87501 USA
| | - Janelle Taylor Garcia
- State of New Mexico, Legislative Finance Committee, Program Evaluation Unit, 325 Don Gaspar Ave, Suite 101, Santa Fe, NM 87501 USA
| | - Jacob Rowberry
- State of New Mexico, Legislative Finance Committee, Program Evaluation Unit, 325 Don Gaspar Ave, Suite 101, Santa Fe, NM 87501 USA
| | - Nathan Eckberg
- State of New Mexico, Legislative Finance Committee, Program Evaluation Unit, 325 Don Gaspar Ave, Suite 101, Santa Fe, NM 87501 USA
| | - Sarah M. Dinces
- State of New Mexico, Legislative Finance Committee, Program Evaluation Unit, 325 Don Gaspar Ave, Suite 101, Santa Fe, NM 87501 USA
| | - Clayton S. Lobaugh
- State of New Mexico, Legislative Finance Committee, Program Evaluation Unit, 325 Don Gaspar Ave, Suite 101, Santa Fe, NM 87501 USA
| | - Ryan T. Tolman
- State of New Mexico, Legislative Finance Committee, Program Evaluation Unit, 325 Don Gaspar Ave, Suite 101, Santa Fe, NM 87501 USA
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10
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Fyffe L, Sample PL, Lewis A, Rattenborg K, Bundy AC. Entering Kindergarten After Years of Play: A Cross-Case Analysis of School Readiness Following Play-Based Education. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION JOURNAL 2022; 52:1-13. [PMID: 36406244 PMCID: PMC9666934 DOI: 10.1007/s10643-022-01428-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Cross-case study research was used to explore the school readiness of four 5-year-old children entering kindergarten during the 2020-2021 school year after three or more years of play-based early childhood education at a Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood education center. Data included a series of three 1-h individual interviews with four mothers and three kindergarten teachers, field visits during remote learning, and artifact collection over the course of the school year. Themes describing the children's school readiness were developed through cross-case analysis. Participants described the children as learners, explorers, communicators, and empathizers. The learner theme centers on the children's responsiveness to instruction; the explorer theme describes how the children approached learning; the communicator theme illustrates the children's prowess with social connection and self-advocacy, and the empathizer theme shows the thoughtfulness and emotional sensitivity these children displayed. Findings suggest that play-based learning prepared these children for successful kindergarten experiences and was a viable early childhood education pedagogy fostering school readiness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Fyffe
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
| | - Pat L. Sample
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
| | - Angela Lewis
- School of Education, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
| | - Karen Rattenborg
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO USA
| | - Anita C. Bundy
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
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11
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Burchinal M, Whitaker AA, Jenkins JM. The promise and purpose of early care and education. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Burchinal
- School of Education and Human Development University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia USA
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12
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Romeo RR, Uchida L, Christodoulou JA. Socioeconomic status and reading outcomes: Neurobiological and behavioral correlates. New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2022; 2022:57-70. [PMID: 35868867 PMCID: PMC9588575 DOI: 10.1002/cad.20475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In this chapter, we examine reading outcomes and socioeconomic status (SES) using a developmental cognitive and educational neuroscience perspective. Our focus is on reading achievement and intervention outcomes for students from lower SES backgrounds who struggle with reading. Socioeconomic disadvantage is a specific type of vulnerability students experience, which is often narrowly defined based on parental income, education level, and/or occupational prestige. However, implications of socioeconomic status extend broadly to a suite of areas relevant for reading outcomes including a student's access to resources, experiences, language exposure, academic outcomes, and psychological correlates. Underlying this constellation of factors are brain systems supporting the processing of oral and written language as well as stress-related factors. We review the implications of SES and reading achievement, and their intersectionality, for the science and practice of reading instruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel R. Romeo
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Lili Uchida
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joanna A. Christodoulou
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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13
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Bjorklund DF. Children's Evolved Learning Abilities and Their Implications for Education. EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2022; 34:2243-2273. [PMID: 35730061 PMCID: PMC9192340 DOI: 10.1007/s10648-022-09688-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In this article, I examine children's evolved learning mechanisms that make humans the most educable of animals. These include (1) skeletal perceptual and cognitive mechanisms that get fleshed out over the course of development, mainly through play; (2) a high level of plasticity that is greatest early in life but that persists into adulthood; (3) remarkable social-learning capabilities; and (4) dispositions toward exploration and play. I next examine some evolutionary mismatches-conflicts between psychological mechanisms evolved in ancient environments and their utility in modern ones-specifically with respect to modern educational systems. I then suggest some ways educators can take advantage of children's evolved learning abilities to minimize the effects of evolutionary mismatches, including (1) following developmentally appropriate practices (which are also evolutionarily appropriate practices), (2) increasing opportunities for physical activities, (3) increasing opportunities to learn through play, and (4) taking advantage of stress-adapted children's "hidden talents." I argue that evolutionary theory informs teachers and parents about how children evolved to learn and can result in more-enlightened teaching methods that will result in a more enjoyable and successful learning experiences for children.
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Affiliation(s)
- David F. Bjorklund
- Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431 USA
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14
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Abstract
Behavior genetics is a controversial science. For decades, scholars have sought to understand the role of heredity in human behavior and life-course outcomes. Recently, technological advances and the rapid expansion of genomic databases have facilitated the discovery of genes associated with human phenotypes such as educational attainment and substance use disorders. To maximize the potential of this flourishing science, and to minimize potential harms, careful analysis of what it would mean for genes to be causes of human behavior is needed. In this paper, we advance a framework for identifying instances of genetic causes, interpreting those causal relationships, and applying them to advance causal knowledge more generally in the social sciences. Central to thinking about genes as causes is counterfactual reasoning, the cornerstone of causal thinking in statistics, medicine, and philosophy. We argue that within-family genetic effects represent the product of a counterfactual comparison in the same way as average treatment effects (ATEs) from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Both ATEs from RCTs and within-family genetic effects are shallow causes: They operate within intricate causal systems (non-unitary), produce heterogeneous effects across individuals (non-uniform), and are not mechanistically informative (non-explanatory). Despite these limitations, shallow causal knowledge can be used to improve understanding of the etiology of human behavior and to explore sources of heterogeneity and fade-out in treatment effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W Madole
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - K Paige Harden
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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