Challenging the notion of a thematic preference in young children.
Challenging the notion of a thematic preference in young children.
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DOI：
10.1037//0012-1649.33.3.555
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发表时间：
1997
影响因子：
4
通讯作者：
S. Waxman;L. Namy
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
S. Waxman;L. Namy
许多研究人员认为，早期认知发展的特点是对主题关系的概念偏好高于分类关系。然而，最近的研究表明，婴幼儿可能不喜欢主题关系。为了解决这一差异，研究人员对2至4岁儿童的概念偏好进行了研究，使用强制选择任务，包括目标（例如，胡萝卜），主题选择（例如，兔子）和分类选择（例如，西红柿）。系统考察了年龄、实验者指令、等级（基本与上级）、刺激媒介（图片与实物）的影响。儿童对主题关系或分类学关系没有普遍的偏好。这挑战了概念偏好发展转变的概念，并表明早期概念发展有一个更连续的轨迹。
Many researchers have argued that early cognitive development is characterized by a conceptual preference for thematic over taxonomic relations. However, more recent research indicates that infants and toddlers may not favor thematic relations. To resolve this discrepancy, the conceptual preferences of children ranging from 2 to 4 years of age were examined, using a forced-choice task including a target (e.g., a carrot), a thematic alternative (e.g., a rabbit), and a taxonomic alternative (e.g., a tomato). The effects of age, experimenter's instructions, hierarchical level (basic vs. superordinate), and stimulus medium (pictures vs. objects) were examined systematically. Children revealed no pervasive preference for either thematic or taxonomic relations. This challenges the notion of a developmental shift in conceptual preferences and suggests a more continuous trajectory in early conceptual development.