Abstract
The present study examined (1) whether children notice different causes for contagious illnesses, non-contagious illnesses, and injuries and (2) what information adults provide to children and to what extent this information is related to children's causal awareness. Studies 1 and 2 explored preschool teachers’ and mothers’ explanations of illnesses and injuries, and Studies 3 and 4 examined children's understanding of causality. The teachers and mothers frequently offered various kinds of information about illnesses and injuries to children. Explanations based on behaviour and life habits were most common. When explaining contagious illnesses, they tended to refer to contagion, while when explaining non-contagious illnesses, they sometimes mentioned inherited constitution. But mention of heredity was never observed for contagious illnesses and injuries. In Studies 3 and 4, 5–11-year-old children consistently denied a belief in immanent justice. For contagious illnesses, they appeared to notice that physical contact with contaminants make us sick. Older children's awareness appeared to become more differentiated and sophisticated. From middle childhood, they come to notice that inherited constitution plays some role in susceptibility to non-contagious illnesses.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Early Child Development and Care |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 2015 May 16 |
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Keywords
- concept formation
- illness conception
- naive biology
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Social Psychology
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Adults’ explanations and children's understanding of contagious illnesses, non-contagious illnesses, and injuries. / Toyama, Noriko.
In: Early Child Development and Care, 16.05.2015.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Adults’ explanations and children's understanding of contagious illnesses, non-contagious illnesses, and injuries
AU - Toyama, Noriko
PY - 2015/5/16
Y1 - 2015/5/16
N2 - The present study examined (1) whether children notice different causes for contagious illnesses, non-contagious illnesses, and injuries and (2) what information adults provide to children and to what extent this information is related to children's causal awareness. Studies 1 and 2 explored preschool teachers’ and mothers’ explanations of illnesses and injuries, and Studies 3 and 4 examined children's understanding of causality. The teachers and mothers frequently offered various kinds of information about illnesses and injuries to children. Explanations based on behaviour and life habits were most common. When explaining contagious illnesses, they tended to refer to contagion, while when explaining non-contagious illnesses, they sometimes mentioned inherited constitution. But mention of heredity was never observed for contagious illnesses and injuries. In Studies 3 and 4, 5–11-year-old children consistently denied a belief in immanent justice. For contagious illnesses, they appeared to notice that physical contact with contaminants make us sick. Older children's awareness appeared to become more differentiated and sophisticated. From middle childhood, they come to notice that inherited constitution plays some role in susceptibility to non-contagious illnesses.
AB - The present study examined (1) whether children notice different causes for contagious illnesses, non-contagious illnesses, and injuries and (2) what information adults provide to children and to what extent this information is related to children's causal awareness. Studies 1 and 2 explored preschool teachers’ and mothers’ explanations of illnesses and injuries, and Studies 3 and 4 examined children's understanding of causality. The teachers and mothers frequently offered various kinds of information about illnesses and injuries to children. Explanations based on behaviour and life habits were most common. When explaining contagious illnesses, they tended to refer to contagion, while when explaining non-contagious illnesses, they sometimes mentioned inherited constitution. But mention of heredity was never observed for contagious illnesses and injuries. In Studies 3 and 4, 5–11-year-old children consistently denied a belief in immanent justice. For contagious illnesses, they appeared to notice that physical contact with contaminants make us sick. Older children's awareness appeared to become more differentiated and sophisticated. From middle childhood, they come to notice that inherited constitution plays some role in susceptibility to non-contagious illnesses.
KW - concept formation
KW - illness conception
KW - naive biology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84929589929&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84929589929&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/03004430.2015.1040785
DO - 10.1080/03004430.2015.1040785
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84929589929
JO - Early Child Development and Care
JF - Early Child Development and Care
SN - 0300-4430
ER -