Toddlers learn and flexibly apply multiple possibilities.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Development
• Developmental Psychology
• Causal Learning

Background:

• The capacity to consider multiple possibilities underpins human cognition.
• Previous research focused on preparing for future outcomes, not causal reasoning.
• The developmental emergence of considering alternatives remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the development of considering multiple causal hypotheses.
• To examine this ability in young children (toddlers) and adults.
• To explore causal learning in contexts with varying levels of abstraction.

Main Methods:

• Adults (N=109) and toddlers (18-30 months, N=104) observed evidence.
• Evidence supported two distinct causal hypotheses (individual vs. relational causation).
• Participants' ability to identify and apply causal hypotheses was assessed.

Main Results:

• Both adults and toddlers identified multiple potential causes for an observed effect.
• Participants demonstrated the ability to hold these possibilities concurrently.
• Flexible application of the correct causal hypothesis was observed in both age groups.

Conclusions:

• Toddlers possess the capacity to consider multiple causal alternatives.
• This challenges previous theories suggesting this ability emerges later in development.
• Early causal learning involves flexible consideration of different hypotheses.