Robots and rodents: children's inferences about living and nonliving kinds.
This study tests the firm distinction children are said to make between living and nonliving kinds. Three, 4-, and 5-year-old children and adults reasoned about whether items that varied on 3 dimensions (alive, face, behavior) had a range of properties (biological, psychological, perceptual, artifact, novel, proper names). Findings demonstrate that by 4 years of age, children make clear distinctions between prototypical living and nonliving kinds regardless of the property under consideration. Even 3-year-olds distinguish prototypical living and nonliving kinds when asked about biological properties. When reasoning about nonbiological properties for the full range of items, however, even 5-year-olds and adults occasionally rely on facial features. Thus, the living/nonliving distinction may have more narrow consequences than previously acknowledged.
Jipson
Jennifer L
JL
Department of Psychology and Child Development, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA. jjipson@calpoly.edu
Gelman
Susan A
SA
D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003210:Concept Formation; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019369:Life; D008297:Male; D011936:Reality Testing; D012371:Robotics; D012377:Rodentia; D013850:Thinking