Most 3–5-year-old children who first learned an inefficient puzzlebox method switched to a witnessed, more efficient alternative¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2022 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? 62% of children in the Inefficient first condition switched from the inefficient to the efficient method after witnessing it. → Davis 2022

Evidence¶

Davis 2022¶

Davis, S., Rawlings, B., Clegg, J. M., Ikejimba, D., Watson-Jones, R. E., Whiten, A. & Legare, C. H. (2022). Cognitive flexibility supports the development of cumulative cultural learning in children. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18231-7

q3 · i? · causal · r2

In the Inefficient first condition of the Serialbox experiment with 3–5-year-olds (N = 167), "a total of 72 children (62%) switched from the inefficient to the efficient method once they witnessed E1 use it". Most switching occurred in Phase 2 before the token was placed in the dent.

"Across all phases, a total of 72 children (62%) switched from the inefficient to the efficient method once they witnessed E1 use it."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Executive Function — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Children who switched to the efficient method largely reverted to the inefficient method over subsequent trials — related
• Children who first learned the efficient method switched to the observed inefficient method — related
• Children switched to the efficient method more often than chimpanzees on the same puzzlebox task — related
• Children who observed the efficient method first switched earlier than children observing the inefficient method first — related
• Younger children performed more redundant actions than older children — related