"Why do dogs pant?": Characteristics of parental explanations about science predict children's knowledge. Issue 2 (12th October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mills, Candice M.; Danovitch, Judith. H.; Mugambi, Victoria N.; Sands, Kaitlin R.; Pattisapu Fox, Candice
• Is Part Of: Child development. Volume 93:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 326
• Page End: 340
• Publication Date: 2021-10-12
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child Development -- Periodicals; Child Development; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Pedicatrics; 305.231
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13681
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-3920

Abstract

Abstract: Using a new method for examining parental explanations in a laboratory setting, the prompted explanation task, this study examines how characteristics of parental explanations about biology relate to children's knowledge. Parents ( N = 148; M age = 38; 84% female, 16% male; 67% having completed college) of children ages 7–10 ( M age = 8.92; 47% female, 53% male; 58% White, 9.5% Black, 9.5% Asian) provided answers to eight how and why questions about biology. Parents used a number of different approaches to address the questions, including providing more mechanistic responses to how questions and more teleological responses to why questions. The characteristics of parental explanations—most notably, how frequently parents provided correct responses—predicted children's performance on measures of verbal intelligence and biological knowledge. Additional exploratory analyses and implications for children's learning are discussed.