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Information Processing Approach

Information Processing Approach

The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 11, 2025

A Treatment Package without Escape Extinction to Address Food Selectivity

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Children's Selective Teaching and Informing: A Meta-Analysis.

Fanxiao Wani Qiu¹, Joanna Park¹, Amanda Vite²

¹Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Developmental Science

|October 9, 2024

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Children aged 4 and older selectively share information based on its helpfulness to the listener. This developmental shift in selective informing aligns with emerging theory of mind abilities.

Keywords:

meta‐analysis natural pedagogy pedagogical cognition selective informing social cognition teaching

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Area of Science:

Developmental Psychology
Cognitive Science
Social Learning Theory

Background:

Empirical studies suggest children adjust teaching based on audience helpfulness.
Selective informing and teaching are key aspects of social learning.

Purpose of the Study:

To quantify the effect of selective informing and teaching in 2-7-year-olds.
To examine the relationship between information helpfulness and transmission frequency.

Main Methods:

Systematic search yielding 1483 results, with 28 studies (104 effect sizes, N=2716) included.
Meta-analysis using robust variance estimation.

Main Results:

A medium average effect (Hedges' g = 0.578) indicates children selectively share information based on perceived listener helpfulness.
Age and communicative context were significant moderators; children were more informative when teaching.
A developmental progression was observed at age 4, with older children showing selective sharing.

Conclusions:

Young children actively engage in selective social learning, both as givers and receivers of information.
Findings support and extend natural pedagogy theory, highlighting children's selective informing when teaching.
Selective information sharing in children is linked to the development of false-belief understanding around age 4.