Children Seek Historical Traces of Owned Objects. Issue 1 (3rd November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gelman, Susan A.; Manczak, Erika M.; Was, Alexandra M.; Noles, Nicholaus S.
• Is Part Of: Child development. Volume 87:Issue 1(2016:Jan./Feb.)
• Page Start: 239
• Page End: 255
• Publication Date: 2015-11-03
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child Development -- Periodicals; Child Development; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Pedicatrics; 305.231
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12453
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-3920

Abstract

Abstract : An object's mental representation includes not just visible attributes but also its nonvisible history. The present studies tested whether preschoolers seek subtle indicators of an object's history, such as a mark acquired during its handling. Five studies with 169 children 3–5 years of age and 97 college students found that children (like adults) searched for concealed traces of object history, invisible traces of object history, and the absence of traces of object history, to successfully identify an owned object. Controls demonstrated that children (like adults) appropriately limit their search for hidden indicators when an owned object is visibly distinct. Altogether, these results demonstrate that concealed and invisible indicators of history are an important component of preschool children's object concepts.