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Children's developing conceptions of the mind and brain

C N Johnson, H M Wellman

    Child Development
    |February 1, 1982
    PubMed
    Summary
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    Children as young as 4-5 years view the brain as a mind-like entity, challenging prior beliefs about their understanding of mental concepts. This research explores the development of children's concepts of mind and brain.

    Area of Science:

    • Developmental Psychology
    • Cognitive Science
    • Neuroscience Education

    Background:

    • Previous research focused on specific cognitive functions (e.g., metamemory) or mental acts (e.g., dreams) in children.
    • Limited understanding existed regarding children's holistic concepts of the mind and brain.
    • Young children were often characterized as unable to differentiate mental acts from overt behaviors.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the development of children's concepts of the mind as a whole.
    • To examine the developmental trajectory of concepts related to both the mind and the brain.
    • To understand how children organize information about the mental world.

    Main Methods:

    • Longitudinal examination of conceptual development from preschool age through adulthood.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of children's understanding of the mind and brain's roles in various actions.
  • Exploration of the acquisition of both popular and technical definitions of the brain.

    • Main Results:

    • By ages 4-5, children commonly perceive the brain as an internal, mind-like entity linked to mental acts.
    • Young children initially hold undifferentiated concepts of mind and brain, viewing both as essential for mental but not sensory-motor actions.
    • Concepts of mind and brain differentiate ontologically (mind: immaterial) and functionally (brain: bodily actions) with development.

    Conclusions:

    • Children's early concepts of the brain are more sophisticated than previously thought, associating it with mental functions.
    • The study reveals a developmental progression from undifferentiated to distinct concepts of mind and brain.
    • Findings contribute to understanding the organization of knowledge about the mental world in developing minds.