Poster #30 - The Influence of Play Materials on Children's Internal State Language

• In Event: 1-061 - Poster Session 02
  In Poster Session: PS 02 Section - Cognitive Processes

Integrative Statement

Pretend play is an important context for children’s socio-cognitive development; one major component of such interactions is using sophisticated communication to co-construct a scenario (Garvey, 1990; Vygotsky, 1976). Internal state language is considered a marker of children’s social understanding and children use such language to set up, negotiate, and define the thoughts and feelings of the pretend characters. Further, it allows children to express their point of view, understand their play partner’s perspectives, and reach common understandings about the play (Carpendale & Lewis, 2015). Little is known regarding whether the nature of play materials (open- vs. close-ended) influences children’s internal state language, which is the basis of the current study. We predicted that children would employ more internal state language, specifically references to cognitions (e.g., think, know), with the open-ended village set as there are numerous possibilities for play. While playing with the close-ended train set, we predicted that children would employ more goal-directed language given a greater focus on intentions and desires.
The sample consisted of 66 sibling dyads including a 7-year-old focal child (M age = 7.61, SD = 1.16), with an older (n = 34, M age = 9 years, SD = 1.08) or young sibling (n = 32, M age = 5.70 years, SD = 1.47). Dyadic gender composition included 23 mixed-gender (11 sister-brother, 12 brother-sister) and 43 same-gender (22 sister, 21 brother) pairs. A close friend of the target child also participated (M age = 7.36 years, SD = 1.11). Children were observed in their home during two 15-minute counterbalanced videotaped sessions (sibling, friend). Dyads played with an open-ended village set and a close-ended train set. Four mutually exclusive categories of internal state language were coded: cognitions (e.g., think), emotions (e.g., happy), goals (e.g, try to), and preferences (e.g., like).
To determine differences in children’s use of internal state language by play set, a 2 (village, train) by 4 (goals, cognitions, emotions, preferences) repeated measures ANOVA was conducted. A significant interaction of play set by internal state language was revealed, F(1.65, 115.52) = 7.23, p < .002, ηp2 = .09; children referred to goals significantly more during train play (M = .58, SE = .02) than village play (M = .47, SE = .02), supporting the hypothesis. Children referred to cognitions significantly more with the village (M = .37, SE = .02) than the train sets (M = .29, SE = .02), as predicted.
Apparently, and as expected, children’s internal state language varies depending on the nature of the play set. Children referred to cognitions more often when playing with the open-ended village set, allowing them to negotiate the co-construction of a scenario and object use. Children’s references to goals with the close-ended train set reflects their desires, intentions, and responsibilities about how to set up and assemble the track. Providing children with different types of play materials allows them to strengthen various cognitive and communication skills and differentially refer to specific categories of internal state language, which may enhance their social interactions.

Authors

• Norah Jesseca Perlman, Concordia University
  Presenting Author

• Jamie Leach, Concordia University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Nasim Tavassoli, Concordia University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Nina Howe, Concordia University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ganie B. DeHart, SUNY Geneseo
  Non-Presenting Author