Development - Egocentrism

Question 1

Define egocentrism

Answer 1

To see the world only from your own point of view.

Question 2

Aim of Hughes’ study

Answer 2

To create a test that would be more understandable than Piaget’s to children younger than 7 years.

Question 3

Method of Hughes’ study

Answer 3

3½ to 5 year olds were shown a model with two intersecting walls.
Were asked to hide one doll from one policeman doll to make sure they understood the task.
Then asked the child to hide the boy doll from two policemen.

Question 4

Results of Hughes’ study

Answer 4

90% could hide the doll from two policemen.

When complex model was used (more walls) 60% of 3yo and 90% of 4yo hid doll correctly.

Question 5

Conclusion of Hughes’ study

Answer 5

Study shows that kids age 4 years are mostly non-egocentric.
Piaget underestimated younger children’s abilities because his three mountains task didn’t make sense to the children.
Piaget was right that a child’s thinking changes with age.

Question 6

Strength of Hughes’ study (realistic)

Answer 6

The task made better sense to children.
Hiding from a policeman is easier to think about than selecting a view of a mountain top.
Makes it a more realistic test of children’s abilities.

Question 7

Weakness of Hughes’ study (expectations)

Answer 7

The researcher’s expectations may have influenced children’s behaviour.
May have unconsciously given kids cues how to behave in policeman task.
This could’ve caused results to lack validity.

Question 8

Strength of Hughes’ study

Answer 8

It challenges Piaget’s theory.
Results imply Piaget’s study confused young children because the task didn’t make sense to them.
This study helped refine this type of child development research.