Primordial feeling of possession in development

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Human Ownership Psychology

Background:

• Boyer's minimalist model of human ownership psychology is a prominent theory.
• This model focuses on the psychological experience of control over objects.
• The model has been influential in understanding ownership cognition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically evaluate Boyer's minimalist model of ownership psychology.
• To highlight the developmental progression in children's understanding of ownership.
• To emphasize the importance of ontogenetic factors in ownership psychology.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of developmental cues in children's expression of ownership.
• Comparative review of Boyer's model with developmental psychology findings.
• Theoretical critique focusing on ontogenetic progression.

Main Results:

• Boyer's model overlooks crucial developmental cues in children's ownership understanding.
• Children exhibit a progression from pre-conceptual to conceptual (symbolic) ownership expressions.
• An overemphasis on innate core knowledge and evolutionary logic obscures this developmental pathway.

Conclusions:

• A richer understanding of ownership psychology requires acknowledging children's developmental trajectory.
• The ontogenetic progression of ownership feelings is a unique and vital area of study.
• Future models should integrate developmental insights to fully capture the nuances of ownership psychology.