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Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
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Do embodiment and fictionality affect young children's learning?

Thalia R Goldstein1, Brittany N Thompson1, Pallavi Kanumuru1

  • 1George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
|September 6, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Children learn more from pretend play when physically active and engaged. Embodied pretend play, using costumes or puppets, enhances learning and retention compared to passive viewing of stories.

Keywords:
EmbodimentFictionLearningMediaPretend playPuppetsRole play

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Early Childhood Education

Background:

  • Preschoolers learn from fictional narratives, but research often involves passive consumption.
  • Active, physical engagement in pretend play is a natural part of childhood development.
  • The role of embodiment in learning from fictional content requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how physical engagement (embodiment) affects preschool children's learning from fictional narratives.
  • To compare learning outcomes between physically passive and actively engaged (embodied pretend play) conditions.
  • To examine the influence of narrative fictionality and perceived realism on learning.

Main Methods:

  • Two studies were conducted, manipulating children's physical engagement with narratives (passive vs. embodied pretend play).
  • Children interacted with television-based (Study 1) and lab-created (Study 2) stories, some with fantastical elements.
  • Learning, recall (2-week follow-up), and perceptions of realism were measured.

Main Results:

  • Embodiment significantly enhanced learning and retention compared to passive consumption in Study 2.
  • Older preschoolers showed better immediate learning than younger preschoolers in Study 1.
  • Perception of fictionality or fantastical content did not consistently affect learning outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Active, embodied pretend play enhances preschool children's learning from fictional narratives.
  • Embodiment appears to be a critical factor in maximizing learning from imaginative content.
  • Future research should explore specific elements of embodied pretend play that optimize learning and cognitive development.