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The trajectory of counterfactual simulation in development

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Kominsky, Jonathan F., Gerstenberg, Tobias, Pelz, Madeline, Sheskin, Mark, Singmann, Henrik, Schulz, Laura and Keil, Frank C. (2019) The trajectory of counterfactual simulation in development. In: 41st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Montréal, Cananda, 24-27 Jul 2019. Published in: Proceedings of the 41st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Previous work has argued that young children do not answer counterfactual questions (e.g. “what would have happened?”) by constructing simulations of alternative possibilities in the way adults do. Here, we propose that children can engage in simulation when answering these questions, but consider different counterfactual possibilities than adults. While most previous research has relied on narrative stimuli, we use causal perception events, which are understood even in infancy. In Experiment 1, we replicate earlier findings that children struggle with counterfactual reasoning, but show that they are capable of conducting the required simulations in a prediction task. In Experiment 2, we use a novel multiple-choice method that allows us to study not only when children get it right, but also how they get it wrong. We find evidence that 4-year-olds engage in simulation, but preserve only some features of what actually happened and not others.

Item Type: Conference Item (Paper)
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
Divisions: Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Psychology
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Perception, Counterfactuals (Logic), Causation, Child development
Journal or Publication Title: Proceedings of the 41st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society
Publisher: The Cognitive Science Society
Official Date: 10 May 2019
Dates:
DateEvent
2019Completion
10 May 2019Accepted
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Unpublished
Access rights to Published version: Restricted or Subscription Access
Conference Paper Type: Paper
Title of Event: 41st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society
Type of Event: Conference
Location of Event: Montréal, Cananda
Date(s) of Event: 24-27 Jul 2019
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