Work

Mind over matter: consistency monitoring and domain-specific learning

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction Children'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. Method We 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 discussion We 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.

Source: Frontiers in Developmental Psychology

DOI: 10.3389/fdpys.2025.1496651

Authors: Igor Bascandziev, Adani Abutto, Caren M. Walker, Elizabeth Bonawitz

Institutions: Harvard University, Stanford University, University of California San Diego

Language: English

Topic: Child and Animal Learning Development

Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,353