Scientific reasoning promotes elementary school science learning: A longitudinal study

Susanne Koerber1, Christopher Osterhaus2

  • 1Institute of Psychology, Freiburg University of Education, Freiburg, Germany.

Child Development
|October 30, 2026
PubMed

Related Concept Videos

Preoperational Thought II: Object Space and Causality01:29

Preoperational Thought II: Object Space and Causality

Jean Piaget’s preoperational stage, spanning ages 2 to 7, is marked by symbolic thought and the development of spatial and causal reasoning. Although Piaget emphasized the limitations of children’s logic, later research suggests that preschoolers may reason more effectively than he initially proposed.Developing Spatial UnderstandingAround age 3, children begin understanding that two-dimensional images and models can represent real spaces. This allows them to interpret pictures, maps, and scale...
Deductive Reasoning01:16

Deductive Reasoning

Deductive reasoning, or deduction, is the type of logic used in hypothesis-based science. In deductive reasoning, the pattern of thinking moves in the opposite direction from inductive reasoning. It uses a general principle or law to predict specific results. From these general principles, a scientist can predict specific results that remain valid as long as the general principles are correct.For example, a researcher can make specific predictions from the hypothesis "butterflies are attracted...
Longitudinal Research02:20

Longitudinal Research

Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
Inductive Reasoning00:59

Inductive Reasoning

Inductive reasoning is a form of logical thinking that uses related observations to arrive at a general conclusion. It is uncertain and operates in degrees to which the conclusions are credible. As such, inductive arguments can be weak or strong, rather than valid or invalid, and conclusions can be used to formulate testable, falsifiable hypotheses.Inductive reasoning is common in descriptive science. A life scientist makes observations and records them. This data can be qualitative or...
Longitudinal Studies01:26

Longitudinal Studies

Longitudinal studies are also widely used in other medical and social science fields. For instance, in cardiovascular research, they can monitor patients' health over decades to identify risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or smoking, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of preventive measures. Similarly, in mental health studies, researchers might follow individuals from adolescence into adulthood to understand the development and progression of conditions like...
Reasoning01:30

Reasoning

Reasoning is the action of thinking about something in a logical, sensible way. It is integral to problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking. Reasoning can be inductive or deductive. Reasoning involves transforming information into conclusions, which is essential for problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking.
Inductive reasoning involves deriving generalizations from specific observations. This type of reasoning helps form beliefs about the world. For example,...