The Effects of Philosophy for Children on Children's Cognitive Development: A Three-Level Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Education
• Cognitive Psychology
• Meta-Analysis

Background:

• Philosophy for Children (P4C) is increasingly recognized for its potential to foster higher-order thinking skills in children.
• Empirical evidence supporting P4C's effectiveness has been mixed, necessitating a comprehensive review.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a three-level meta-analysis assessing the cognitive effects of Philosophy for Children (P4C).
• To identify potential moderators influencing P4C's efficacy in enhancing cognitive abilities.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized 53 effect sizes from 33 experimental and quasi-experimental studies with 4568 participants.
• Employed subgroup and meta-regression analyses to explore moderating factors.

Main Results:

• A significant overall moderate-to-strong effect size (g = 0.59) was found for P4C's cognitive impact.
• Robust positive effects were observed for reasoning, critical thinking, and creativity.
• Sample size, cultural context, and session length emerged as significant or marginally significant moderators.

Conclusions:

• P4C demonstrates a consistent and robust positive impact on children's cognitive development across diverse conditions.
• Findings support P4C's value in fostering essential cognitive abilities like reasoning, critical thinking, and creativity.
• Provides evidence for policymakers and educators on P4C's effectiveness in various educational contexts.