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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 26, 2026

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Published on: April 28, 2016

Young Children Prefer and Remember Satisfying Explanations.

Brandy N Frazier¹, Susan A Gelman², Henry M Wellman²

¹University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Journal of Cognition and Development : Official Journal of the Cognitive Development Society

|July 18, 2017

Summary

Preschool children actively seek explanations and prefer informative answers. They are more satisfied with and better recall explanations than non-explanations, demonstrating selective learning.

Keywords:

conversation explanation information seeking learning and memory

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Area of Science:

Developmental Psychology
Cognitive Science
Linguistics

Background:

Preschool children actively seek explanations during conversations.
Understanding children's preferences for explanation types and their learning outcomes is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate preschool children's preferences for different levels of explanatory information.
To assess children's learning from explanations versus non-explanations.

Main Methods:

A preliminary study with adults (N=67) established materials.
A semi-naturalistic study involved 4- and 5-year-olds (N=69).
Children's satisfaction and recall of explanations were measured.

Main Results:

Children expressed dissatisfaction with non-explanations but satisfaction with explanations.
Satisfaction levels varied appropriately with the amount of explanatory information provided.
Children demonstrated high recall of explanations but failed to recall non-explanations.

Conclusions:

Young children actively seek and prefer informative explanations.
Children selectively retain explanatory information, indicating effective learning from preferred explanations.