Understanding inference as a source of knowledge

Children's ability to evaluate the certainty of deduction, perception, and guessing

Bibliographic Data

ID9792500
AuthorsBradford H Pillow (0000-0001-8723-0893, Northern Illinois University, corresponding author), Valerie Hill, April Boyce, Catherine Stein, Catherine M Stein (0000-0002-9763-5023)
Year2000
Volume36
Issue2
Pages169-179
Publication date2000-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDevelopmental Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0012-1649 • E-ISSN: 1939-0599
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/0012-1649.36.2.169
PMID10749074
OpenAlexW4236369921
LanguageEN
Citations received61
References cited26

Three experiments investigated children's understanding of inference as a source of knowledge. Children observed a puppet make a statement about the color of one of two hidden toys after the puppet (a) looked directly at the toy (looking), (b) looked at the other toy (inference), or (c) looked at neither toy (guessing). Most 4-, 5-, and 6-year-olds did not rate the puppet as being more certain of the toy's color after the puppet looked directly at it or inferred its color than they did after the puppet guessed its color. Most 8 and 9-year-olds distinguished inference and looking from guessing. The tendency to explain the puppet's knowledge by referring to inference increased with age. Children who referred to inference in their explanations were more likely to judge deductive inference as more certain than guessing

Abstract reasoning · Certainty · Cognition · Cognitive psychology · Developmental psychology · Epistemology · Inference · Linguistics · Perception · Puppetry · Statement (logic · Artificial Intelligence · Child and Animal Learning Development · Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills · Computer Science · Educational Strategies and Epistemologies · Psychology · Science Education and Pedagogy · Social Psychology