Adults' understanding of child development.
230 adults estimated the ages at which children and adolescents ages 1 to 16 years could perform certain tasks like, "Say the months of the year backwards" and "Ride a bicycle". Nearly two-thirds of the participants consistently underestimated the age at which young people could perform. A total "correct" score, computed for each participant, formed a normal distribution. This score was used as a criterion measure for a series of multiple regressions. The strongest predictor was the extent to which people had regular contact with children, indicating the role of experience.
Furnham
Adrian
A
Department of Psychology, University College London, United Kingdom. a.furnham@ucl.ac.uk
D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male