Lecture 7 - Early Conceptions of the Physical World Flashcards
What do children and well informed adults know about the physical world
Composed objects and surfaces governed invariant laws
3D environment occupied by objects, varying attributes
Objective reality
What perspective does Piaget 1954 take on physical knowledge
Constructivist
Outline Piaget’s 1954 Constructivist theory of physical knowledge
Chaotic perceptual input early infancy
Action necessary construction knowledge
Responsible own knowledge
Watch objects and their consequences
Late development of conceptual understanding
Prior learning conceptual chaos, could not mentally represent objects - out of sight, out of mind
Who takes a Nativist approach to the theory of physical knowledge
Spelke
Baillargeon
Outline the Nativist approach to the theory of physical knowledge
Core knowledge Hypothesis
Possess innate knowledge object concepts
Solidity, Cohesion, Contact, Continuity
Evolutionary, adaptive
No huge change between infancy and adulthood
Developmental change - refinement of core concepts
Outline Solidity as a core principle of the Nativist Core Knowledge Hypothesis approach
No two objects occupy same space at one time
Do not merge together
Outline Cohesion as a core principle of the Nativist Core Knowledge Hypothesis approach
Objects are connected masses stuff move as a whole
Outline Contact as a core principle of the Nativist Core Knowledge Hypothesis approach
Objects move through contact i.e. do not move spontaneously
Outline Continuity as a core principle of the Nativist Core Knowledge Hypothesis approach
Objects move in continuous paths
Who reconciles the two opposing views of Constructivism and Nativism
Karmiloff-Smith 1992
Outline how Karmiloff-Smith 1992 reconciled the 2 competing views of constructivism and nativism
Not born innate knowledge but have constraints that channel attention
Genes specify initial biases/predispositions channel relevant environmental inputs
Non-chaotic system from outset
Implicit understanding
Developmental change necessary - implicit –> explicit
“representational redescription”
Outline Piaget’s Constructivist approach on object permanence
Understanding objects continue to exist even when they cannot be perceived
Infants believe it is their action that brings an object into existence
A not B error task
When is Object Permanence acquired
9 months
Outline the A not B Error Task
Look for object where they last found it, not where it currently is.
Object continuously hidden under cloth A and revealed. Then hidden under cloth B
Continue to look under cloth A
Manual Search Task
When does the A not B error occur
8-12 months
Why do infants fail the A not B error task
Search/reach/grasp –> memory difficulty
Hard inhibit potent response pattern
Criticism of the A not B error task
Reliance on search tasks - could be underestimating infants knowledge
Outline Bower and Wishart 1972 Motor Skill counter argument and support of Object Permanence
Infants who failed retrieve object from opaque upturned cup were successful when cup was transparent
Ability retrieve object when action plan in place - not memory
Outline Butterworths 1977 counter argument and support of Object Permanence
Infants still make A not B error when object in full view at B (transparent covers or hidden)
Not just memory
Outline the Violation of Expectancy Method
Looking time study
Familiarise infant to an event
Present test behaviour that is consistent/inconsistent with prior familiarised event
Infant looks longer at inconsistent event, evidence they are surprised
Some level knowledge about physical world