Description
Book SynopsisThis Monograph examines the role that children''s questions play in their cognitive development. When children encounter a problem with their current knowledge state (a gap in their knowledge, some ambiguity they don''t know how to resolve, some inconsistency they''ve detected), asking a question allows them to get targeted information exactly when they need it. This information is available to them when they are particularly receptive to it, and since it comes as a result of their own disequilibrium, it may have depth of processing benefits. In that questions allow children to get information they need to move their knowledge structures closer to adult-like states, the ability to ask questions to gather needed information constitutes an efficient mechanism for cognitive development. The studies presented here indicate that children ask information-seeking questions that are related in topic and structure to their cognitive development (usually). Parents give answers to these questions
Table of ContentsABSTRACT.
I. INTRODUCTION.
II. ANALYSIS OF THE CHILDES DATABASE.
III. DIARY STUDY OF CHILDREN'S QUESTIONS.
IV. CHILDREN'S QUESTIONS ABOUT ANIMALS.
V. DO CHILDREN'S QUESTIONS CHANGE THEIR KNOWLEDGE STATE?.
VI. GENERAL DISCUSSION.
REFERENCES.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
COMMENTARY: TIME FOR QUESTIONS.
COMMENTARY.
CONTRIBUTORS.
STATEMENT OF EDITORIAL POLICY
