Week 5

Question 1

What is speech play?

Answer 1

• Wordplay, double meanings
• Speech play as part of a game
• Special “languages”
• Poetry/children’s rhyming

Question 2

What does the “cerebral child” mean?

Answer 2

• Children are thinking machines
• Not about intelligence; children with high IQ and children with mental deficiency are no different
• In 2 weeks after birth, the baby processes more information that it ever will in its life
• Children’s folklore is an instrument through which they make sense of the world

Question 3

What is a peer group?

Answer 3

• (aka “the playground”) is kids with other kids where the genuine children’s folklore occurs; no adults
• can be anywhere

Question 4

What things are considered in a children’s peer group?

Answer 4

• Composition of the group (demographics)
• # of children and ages changes dynamics
• Boys or girls
• Creation of play space/time
• Patterns of competition/cooperation (rules can be changed when children are interested in keeping the game going)
• Hierarchy (can be determined by age, possession, place of play, popularity)

Question 5

Explain “rules and roles”

Answer 5

• Children sometimes solve arguments by enacting do-overs
• Children are flexible with rules
• There are multiple roles
• Exclusion (locking a game)

Question 6

What are the Codes of Oral Legislation?

Answer 6

1. Affirmation - reinforces the truth someone will tell (swearing on your mother)
2. Swapping & Giving - no give backs
3. Gaining Possession - finders keepers
4. Claiming Precedence - claiming a preferred spot
5. Avoiding - rock paper scissors
6. Secret Keeping

Question 7

What is the Heisenberg Effect?

Answer 7

• A molecular biologist who theorized that molecules behave differently under a microcope –> therefore children act differently if they know they are being watched

Question 8

What is “ecological validity”?

Answer 8

Seeing material in its natural habitat

Question 9

What is “induced natural context”?

Answer 9

Getting as close to the natural thing to get the real stuff (a level of authority over children is important)

Question 10

What are the techniques of subversion?

Answer 10

1. Parody – exaggerated, caricature (Jingle Bells)
2. Non-Sense – poking fun at rationality of adults
3. Secrecy – knowledge = power; withholding knowledge can be powerful

Question 11

What are some genres in children’s peer group play?

Answer 11

• Insults
• Rhymes
• Stories
• Jokes
• Riddles
• Songs