Learning What to Change: Young Children Use "Difference-Making" to Identify Causally Relevant Variables

Autor/inn/en	Goddu, Mariel K.; Gopnik, Alison
Titel	Learning What to Change: Young Children Use "Difference-Making" to Identify Causally Relevant Variables
Quelle	In: Developmental Psychology, 56 (2020) 2, S.275-284 (10 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Goddu, Mariel K.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0012-1649
DOI	10.1037/dev0000872
Schlagwörter	Young Children; Causal Models; Logical Thinking; Inferences; Novelty (Stimulus Dimension); Cognitive Development; Differences; Learning; Child Development; Generalization + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Frühe Kindheit; Kausalanalyse; Inference; Inferenz; Kognitive Entwicklung; Unterscheiden; Lernen; Kindesentwicklung
Abstract	Novel causal systems pose a problem of variable choice: How can a reasoner decide which variable is causally relevant? Which variable in the system should a learner manipulate to try to produce a desired, yet unfamiliar, casual outcome? In much causal reasoning research, participants learn how a particular set of preselected variables produce a particular effect. Here, we investigate 3- to 5-year-olds' ability to select the relevant variable for intervention in a novel causal system. Results demonstrate that even young children can learn which variable is causally relevant from sparse evidence. In particular, children infer that variables that are "difference-making" in one causal system will also be relevant to other, novel, causal problems. If manipulating a causal variable in a particular way leads to one effect, children assume that other manipulations of that variable will lead to other novel effects. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01