Children's Acquisition of Concepts and Categories Flashcards
What is the theory-theory approach?
Children start with some foundational theories.
What are the three foundational theories children start with according to the theory-theory approach?
- Naive Physics. 2. Naive Psychology. 3. Naive Biology.
What is Naive Physics?
Reasoning about objects.
What are the almost innate core principles of Naive Physics?
- Continuity. 2. Inertia. 3. Gravity.
[Naive Physics] What is continuity?
Objects can only move through space on connected paths.
[Naive Physics] What is Inertia?
Objects can’t suddenly and spontaneously change.
What is the false-belief test?
Standard task used as the most stringent test of theory of mind.
At what age do most children pass the false-belief test?
By age 4.
Why do children under 4 have trouble completing the false-belief test?
They have difficulty keeping track of the sources of knowledge.
What is Naive Biology?
Knowledge about living things and how they change.
By what age do children develop Naive Biology?
By age 7.
What does Susan Corey argue about Naive Biology? (3)
- Children confuse biology and psychology. 2. Children are ignorant of internal organs of living things. 3. They don’t view body as system of inter-related organs.
What is Gelman’s view of Naive Biology? (3)
- Children do have distinct biological theory. 2. They understand living things grow, have similar internal parts, differ from non-biological things. 3. Have troubles with plants in preschool.
What is essentialism?
Belief that some internal property or “essence” determines the characteristics of the entity.
How is essentialsim important? (3)
- Seen as central part of children’s reasoning of biology. 2. Central to the understanding of species not changing. 3. May underlie stereotypes (gender/racial bias).
