Mind over matter: consistency monitoring and domain-specific learning
IntroductionChildren's naïve understanding of the physical world is permeated with inconsistencies among beliefs. For example, young children who believe that air does not occupy space also believe that balloons are filled up with air. Here, we asked if an ability to explicitly notice inconsist...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Developmental Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fdpys.2025.1496651/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1823860961215250432 |
|---|---|
| author | Igor Bascandziev Adani Abutto Caren M. Walker Elizabeth Bonawitz |
| author_facet | Igor Bascandziev Adani Abutto Caren M. Walker Elizabeth Bonawitz |
| author_sort | Igor Bascandziev |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionChildren's naïve understanding of the physical world is permeated with inconsistencies among beliefs. For example, young children who believe that air does not occupy space also believe that balloons are filled up with air. Here, we asked if an ability to explicitly notice inconsistencies among statements is associated with a more mature understanding of the physical world.MethodWe tested 100 children who received a Physics Interview, a battery of Executive Functioning measures, a Cognitive Reflection measure, and a Consistency Monitoring measure.Results and discussionWe found that Consistency Monitoring is associated with Physics Understanding, even when controlling for Age, Executive Functioning, and Cognitive Reflection. This finding highlights the importance of explicit consistency monitoring skills in the accumulation and expression of domain-specific understanding of the physical world, and it suggests future avenues for development and research of educational interventions that take into account the role of consistency monitoring skills in science learning. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-64f2db58c1464b9096ae9da29a47cfd7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2813-7779 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Developmental Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-64f2db58c1464b9096ae9da29a47cfd72025-02-10T06:48:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Developmental Psychology2813-77792025-02-01310.3389/fdpys.2025.14966511496651Mind over matter: consistency monitoring and domain-specific learningIgor Bascandziev0Adani Abutto1Caren M. Walker2Elizabeth Bonawitz3Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United StatesDepartment of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United StatesDepartment of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United StatesGraduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United StatesIntroductionChildren's naïve understanding of the physical world is permeated with inconsistencies among beliefs. For example, young children who believe that air does not occupy space also believe that balloons are filled up with air. Here, we asked if an ability to explicitly notice inconsistencies among statements is associated with a more mature understanding of the physical world.MethodWe tested 100 children who received a Physics Interview, a battery of Executive Functioning measures, a Cognitive Reflection measure, and a Consistency Monitoring measure.Results and discussionWe found that Consistency Monitoring is associated with Physics Understanding, even when controlling for Age, Executive Functioning, and Cognitive Reflection. This finding highlights the importance of explicit consistency monitoring skills in the accumulation and expression of domain-specific understanding of the physical world, and it suggests future avenues for development and research of educational interventions that take into account the role of consistency monitoring skills in science learning.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fdpys.2025.1496651/fullconsistency monitoringphysics understandingcognitive reflectionexecutive functioning (EF)naïve theories and misconceptions |
| spellingShingle | Igor Bascandziev Adani Abutto Caren M. Walker Elizabeth Bonawitz Mind over matter: consistency monitoring and domain-specific learning Frontiers in Developmental Psychology consistency monitoring physics understanding cognitive reflection executive functioning (EF) naïve theories and misconceptions |
| title | Mind over matter: consistency monitoring and domain-specific learning |
| title_full | Mind over matter: consistency monitoring and domain-specific learning |
| title_fullStr | Mind over matter: consistency monitoring and domain-specific learning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mind over matter: consistency monitoring and domain-specific learning |
| title_short | Mind over matter: consistency monitoring and domain-specific learning |
| title_sort | mind over matter consistency monitoring and domain specific learning |
| topic | consistency monitoring physics understanding cognitive reflection executive functioning (EF) naïve theories and misconceptions |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fdpys.2025.1496651/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT igorbascandziev mindovermatterconsistencymonitoringanddomainspecificlearning AT adaniabutto mindovermatterconsistencymonitoringanddomainspecificlearning AT carenmwalker mindovermatterconsistencymonitoringanddomainspecificlearning AT elizabethbonawitz mindovermatterconsistencymonitoringanddomainspecificlearning |