The development of an intuitive understanding of entropy.
Previous studies of the concept of entropy have indicated that before 7 to 9 years of age, children have difficulty understanding the effects of randomizing forces and often predict highly improbable events, such as a return to the original ordered state. In the present research, 306 children between 3 and 11 years of age were asked directly whether undifferentiated forces, such as the wind or objects being thrown into the air, could create order or disorder in a set of objects. The results showed that even 4-year-olds are sensitive to the asymmetrical effects of such events. Older children apply this principle more consistently and are able to use it in explaining their answers.
Friedman
W J
WJ
Department of Psychology, Oberlin College, OH 44074, USA. friedman@oberlin.edu
D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D003210:Concept Formation; D019277:Entropy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011340:Problem Solving