Children as Informal Scientists
In what ways does a child’s developing theory of mind resemble how scientists create, refine, and use theories in their work? In other words, would it be appropriate to think of children as informal scientists in their development of social understanding?
Yes, it is appropriate to think of children as informal scientists in their development of social understanding. A child’s developing theory of mind (ToM) resembles how scientists create, refine, and use theories in several ways:
Hypothesis Formation and Testing
- Children: As children observe social interactions, they form hypotheses about other people’s thoughts, feelings, and intentions. For instance, a child might guess that a friend is upset because they are crying.
- Scientists: Scientists formulate hypotheses based on observations and existing knowledge. They design experiments to test these hypotheses and gather data to confirm or refute…
Yes, it is appropriate to think of children as informal scientists in their development of social understanding. A child’s developing theory of mind (ToM) resembles how scientists create, refine, and use theories in several ways:
Hypothesis Formation and Testing
- Children: As children observe social interactions, they form hypotheses about other people’s thoughts, feelings, and intentions. For instance, a child might guess that a friend is upset because they are crying.
- Scientists: Scientists formulate hypotheses based on observations and existing knowledge. They design experiments to test these hypotheses and gather data to confirm or refute…
Yes, it is appropriate to think of children as informal scientists in their development of social understanding. A child’s developing theory of mind (ToM) resembles how scientists create, refine, and use theories in several ways:
Hypothesis Formation and Testing
- Children: As children observe social interactions, they form hypotheses about other people’s thoughts, feelings, and intentions. For instance, a child might guess that a friend is upset because they are crying.
- Scientists: Scientists formulate hypotheses based on observations and existing knowledge. They design experiments to test these hypotheses and gather data to confirm or refute…
