Young children’s copying of block constructions: Significant constraints in a highly complex task
Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Block construction is ubiquitous in early development, yet is surprisingly complex, involving step-by-step sequenced actions to create specific structures. Here, we use novel analytic methods to characterize these action sequences in detail, including which individual parts of the structure (‘states’) are built and how these structures are combined, creating a fully specified build path towards the final structure. We find that, like adults tested in a previous study, 4- to 8-year-olds build by creating a small subset of possible individual states and full build paths, and that they prioritize building layer-by-layer. The individual states and build paths that children produce are strikingly similar to those of adults, resulting in structures that are more stable than other possible (but not attested) states and paths. Our approach serves as a lens into the cognitive processes underlying block building and suggests that children’s building is guided by significant cognitive constraints consistent with “computational thinking”. • We use novel analytic methods to characterize children's block building. • 4- to 8-year-old children are highly selective in their building sequences. • 4- to 8-year-old children use a layer-by-layer principle in their building. • Our findings offer new insights into how children build efficiently and accurately, reflecting the child's "computational mind".
Source: Cognitive Development
Authors: Barbara Landau, E. Emory Davis, Cathryn S. Cortesa, Zihan Wang, Jonathan D. Jones, Amy L. Shelton
Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4399558260