The influence of pre-existing knowledge on young children's counterfactual thinking

• Project/Area Number: 15K17269
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Educational psychology
• Research Institution: Chiba University (2017); Shizuoka University (2015-2016)
• Principal Investigator: Nakamichi Keito 千葉大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (70454303)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2017)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥900,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
• Keywords: 幼児 / 反事実的思考 / 反実仮想 / 因果推論 / 認知発達 / 領域特殊

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Counterfactual thinking is “the ability to consider alternatives to what we know has happened.” Three studies examined the development of counterfactual thinking. The set of experiment results showed the following: a) the development of young children’s counterfactual thinking differently depending on the domain of events; b) young children’s counterfactual thinking was facilitated by the focusing other’s emotion; c) young children’s counterfactual thinking was related to gratitude understanding. These results provided new evidences on the development of young children’s counterfactual thinking.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] 心理領域における幼児の反事実的思考の発達-感情状態と知識状態に関する課題の比較- (2017)
  • Author(s): 中道圭人
  • Journal Title: 静岡大学教育学部研究報告（人文・社会・自然科学篇） Volume: 67 Pages: 137-145
  • NAID: 120006309832
  • Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] 幼児の反事実的思考を促進する要因-反事実的思考のトリガーとしてのヒトの感情への注目- (2017)
  • Author(s): 中道圭人
  • Organizer: 日本発達心理学会第28回大会
  • Place of Presentation: 広島国際会議場（広島県広島市）
  • Year and Date: 2017-03-25
• [Presentation] The contributions of executive function, theory of mind, and social-problem-solving to 1st grader's school adjustment. (2017)
  • Author(s): Nakamichi, K., Nakamichi, N., & Nakazawa, J.
  • Organizer: Society for Research in Child Development (Austin, Texas)
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 幼児における反事実的思考と感謝理解の関連 (2017)
  • Author(s): 中道圭人
  • Organizer: 日本心理学会第81回大会（久留米シティプラザ）
• [Presentation] The influence of the reversibility of event on young children's counterfactual thinking. (2016)
  • Author(s): Nakamichi, K.
  • Organizer: The 31st International Congress of Psychology (ICP2016)
  • Place of Presentation: Yokohama, Japan.
  • Year and Date: 2016-07-24
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 幼児の反事実的思考の発達-感情状態と知識状態に関する課題の比較- (2016)
  • Author(s): 中道圭人
  • Organizer: 日本発達心理学会第27回大会
  • Place of Presentation: 北海道大学（北海道札幌市）
  • Year and Date: 2016-04-29