Poster #25 - Children’s Psychological and Physiological Concepts of Scientific and Religious Entities

• In Event: 2-163 - Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Section - Cognitive Processes

Integrative Statement

Previous research has demonstrated that young children readily apply properties of living things to God, do not apply them to germs, but conceptualize both as real (e.g., Guerrero, et al., 2010; Shtulman, 2008; Solomon & Cassimatis, 1999). Experience and cultural context impact children’s application of properties to abstract entities (e.g., Medin, et al., 2010; Richert et al., 2016). The current study examined children’s concept of the physiological and psychological properties of God and germs. We hypothesized that children would assign both more properties if they conceptualized them as being alive, even after controlling for (a) child’s age, (b) entity existence judgement, and (c) how often parents engage them in social learning opportunities (i.e., testimony, activities) related to the entities.

123 children between 5- and 9 years-of-age participated (M = 6.903, SD = 1.129, 51.2% female). Children were ethnically diverse: Hispanic (n = 53), White (n = 27), African American (n = 14), Asian (n = 5), and multiethnic (n = 24).

Children indicated entity reality on a scale from “really sure, pretend” [-2] to “really sure, real” [+2]. Children indicated alive status by responding “yes” [1] or “no” [0]. Entity concept was measured by asking whether the entities: know, want, see, smell, make plans, eat, breathe, grow old, and have bones. Responses were “yes” [1] or “no” [0], a proportion of the number of properties assigned was created. Parents indicated on a scale from “never” [0] to “multiple times a day” [5], how often they talk about and engage in activities related to the entities with their child.

Correlational analyses revealed that entity reality was significantly related to children’s concept of God (r = .204, p = .023), and to concept of germs (r = -.199, p = .027). The other variables were not related. See Table 1 for correlation matrix.

Two ANCOVAs were run [between-subject factor: Alive (Yes, No); covariate: Reality Status]. For concept of God the covariate was not significant, F(1, 120) = .072, p = .788, eta2p = .001. There was a large significant main effect of Alive, F(1,120) = 18.884, p < .001, eta2p = .136. After controlling for Reality Status, children that reported God was alive assigned more properties to God. For concept of Germs there was a small-to-moderate significant effect of the covariate, F(1, 120) = 3.922, p = .05, eta2p = .032. There was a large significant main effect of Alive, F(1,120) = 26.018, p < .001, eta2p = .178. After controlling for Reality Status, children that reported germs are alive assigned more properties to germs. See Figure 1 for additional details.

These findings suggest that engaging in activities and testimony about God and germs with young children is insufficient for impacting children’s conceptualization of them. Additionally, children’s appraisal of these entities as being alive predicts their concept above and beyond reality status alone. Implications for the relationships between children’s reasoning about ontological status, the properties of abstract entities, and the type of social learning opportunities that impact such reasoning, will be discussed.

Authors

• Anondah Saide, University of North Texas
  Presenting Author

• Rebekah Ann Richert, University of California, Riverside
  Non-Presenting Author