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2001 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Development of Mind : Concept Development

Research Project

Project/Area Number 09207105
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas (A)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Research InstitutionKeio University

Principal Investigator

HATANO Giyoo  Keio University, Department of Literature, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (60049575)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) TAKAHASHI Keiko  Seishin Women College, Department of Literature, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (40050786)
SUZUKI Hiroaki  Aoyama University, Department of Literature, Assistant Professor, 文学部, 助教授 (50192620)
INAGAKI Kayoko  Chiba University, Department of Education, Professor, 教育学部, 教授 (90090290)
WATANABE Shigeru  Keio University, Department of Literature, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (30051907)
KOYASU Masuo  Kyoto University, Department of Education, Professor, 大学院・教育学研究科, 教授 (70115658)
Project Period (FY) 1997 – 2000
KeywordsNaive Theory / Naive Biology / Naive Physics / Naive Psychology / Concept Change / Comparative Cognition / Frame Theory
Research Abstract

We tentatively formulated naive theories by human infants and young children in four domains (physics, biology, psychology and sociology), constructed and/or selected relevant tasks, and implemented the tasks to children of different ages. In naive physics we found that children have a strong belief in gravity which indicates that an unsupported object falls directly below and thus are puzzled until age two or three when it falls through a tube not just below. In naive biology, we showed that young children understand and memorize animal behaviors by relying on the person analogy ; they spontaneously generate vitalistic explanations for bodily phenomena and assert that vital power taken from food prevents being infected with diseases, enables people to live long, and cures an injury quickly ; and they can differentiate between living things and complex artifacts that apparently moves themselves in terms of internal processes. We also found that even young children can differentiate two psychological states, desire and intention, and that they can readily grasp the basic trade schema of exchanging good with another good or money but reveal various misconceptions beyond this basic naive sociological schema. In general, naive theories develop in domain-specific and unique ways, but sometimes mutually interact.
We also investigated "conceptual" capabilities among non-human animals, especially among primates and birds, by applying tasks used for human infants and toddlers and trying to identify elements of naive theories that can be found or trained among these animals. We observed that some birds, not to mention nonhuman primates, can recognize "essence" beyond perceptual similarities.

  • Research Products

    (24 results)

All Other

All Publications (24 results)

  • [Publications] Inagaki, K., Hatano, G.: "Young Children's naive thinking about the biological world"New York,Psychology Press.. 130 (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Hatano, G., Inagaki, K.: "Knowledge acquisition and use in higher-order cognition"International Handbook of Psychology. 167-190 (2001)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Hatano, G., Inagaki, K.: "Domain-specific constraints of conceptual development"International Journal of Behavioral Development. 24. 267-275 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 渡辺 茂: "動物の意識"生物の科学遺伝. 11. 30-37 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 板倉 昭二: "霊長類における「心の理論」研究の現在"霊長類学研究. 15. 231-242 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 藤田 和生: "霊長類における形の認識"学術月報. 53(10). 1074-1081 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] 竹下 秀子: "心とことばの初期発達-霊長類の比較行動発達学-"東京大学出版会. 280 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Inagaki, K., Hatano, G.: "Children's understanding of mind-body relationships"Children's understanding of biology. 23-44 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Takahashi, K., Hatano, G.: "Recents trends in civic engagement among the Japanese youth"Community service and civic engagement in youth:International perspectives. 225-244 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Watanabe, Shigeru: "How does pigeon see picture?Cognition of World from its 2-D representation"Current Psychology of Cognition. 18. 691-712 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Tomonaga, M.: "Inversion effect in perception of human faces in a chimpanzee(Pan troglodytes)"Primates. 40. 417-438 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Fujita, K.: "Perceptual completion in rhesus monkeys(Macaca mulatta)and pigeons(Columba livia)"Perception & Psychoiphysics. 63. 85-92 (2001)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Publications] Inagaki, K. & Hatano, G.: "Young Children's naive thinking about the biological world."New York, Psychology Press. (2002)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Hatano, G. & Inagaki, K.: "Knowledge acquisition and use in higher-order cognition."In K. Pawlik & M. R. Rosenzweig (Eds. ), International Handbook of Psychology, Sage Publications.. 167-190 (2001)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Hatano, G. & Inagaki, K.: "Domain-specific constraints of conceptual development."International Journal of Behavioral Development. 24. 267-275 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Watanabe, Shigeru.: "Consciousness in animals"SEIBUTUNO KAGAKU, IDEN. Suppl. 11. 30-37 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Itakura, Syoji.: "Recent trends in the studies of "Theory of mind" in primates."REICHOURUIGAKU KENKYU. 15. 231-242 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Fujita, Kazuki.: "Shape recognition in primates."GAKUJYUTU GEPPOU. 53(10). 1074-1081 (2000)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Takeshita, Hideko.: "Early development of language and mind - comparative behaviology of primates. -"TOKYODAIGAKU SYUPPANKAI. (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Inagaki, K. & Hatano, G.: "Children's understanding of mind-body relationships."In M. Siegal & C. C. Peterson (Eds), Children's understanding of biology and health, Cambridge University Press. 23-44 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Takahashi, K. & Hatano, G.: "Recents trends in civic engagement among the Japanese youth."In M. Yates & J. Youniss (Eds), Community service and civic engagement in youth : International perspectives, CambridgeUniversity Press. 225-244 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Watanabe, Shigeru: "How does pigeon see picture? Cognition of World from its 2-D representation."Current Psychology of Cognition. 18. 691-712 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Tomonaga, M.: "Inversion effect in perception of human faces in a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)."Primates. 40. 417-438 (1999)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Publications] Fujita, K.: "Perceptual completion in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and pigeons (Columba livia)."Perception & Psychoiphysics. 63 (2001)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より

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Published: 2003-09-17  

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