The rational child : theories and evidence in prediction, exploration, and explanation

In this thesis, rational Bayesian models and the Theory-theory are bridged to explore ways in which children can be described as Bayesian scientists. I investigate what it means for children to take a rational approach to processes that support learning. In particular, I present empirical studies that show children making rational predictions, exploration, and explanations. I test the claim that differences in prior beliefs or changes in the observed evidence should affect these behaviors. The studies presented in this thesis encompass two manipulations: in some conditions, children's prior beliefs are equal, but the patterns of evidence are varied; in other conditions, children observe identical evidence but children's prior beliefs are varied. I incorporate an additional approach in this thesis, testing children within a variety of domains, tapping into their intuitive theories of biological kinds, psychosomatic illness, balance, and physical systems. Chapter One introduces the problem. Chapter Two explores how evidence and children's strong beliefs about biological events and psychosomatic illness influence their forced-choice explanations in a story-book task. Chapter Three presents a training study to further investigate the developmental differences discussed in Chapter Two. Chapter Four looks at how children's strong differential beliefs of balance interact with evidence to affect their predictions, play, explanations, and learning.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Bonawitz, Elizabeth R. (Elizabeth Robbin)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Laura Schulz.

• Brain and Cognitive Sciences.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/47891

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/47891