Investigation of qualitative factors for encouraging toddler`s pretend play

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K03366
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 10020:Educational psychology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Ban Midori 大阪大学, 大学院基礎工学研究科, 特任講師(常勤) (30755658)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ふり遊び / ふりシグナル / 乳幼児 / mind perception

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to identify the types of interventions by adults that effectively encourage pretend play in infants and toddlers. The results indicated that using "speech (onomatopoeia)" was particularly effective. Additionally, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was challenging to conduct face-to-face experiments with infants and toddlers during the research period, so multiple online surveys were carried out instead. Specifically, the surveys involved mothers of young children evaluating their impressions of how they perceive their child's "mind" and investigating children's cognitive perceptions of "food," which is often used in pretend play. This multi-faceted approach was used to examine the factors that promote pretend play in early childhood.

Free Research Field

発達心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で，乳幼児期の子どものふり遊びを促すための具体的な働きかけが明らかになったことで，幼い年齢の子どもに対する働きかけの指針が明確になり，保護者や保育者が子どもの発達を意識的にサポートすることが可能となる。さらに，オンライン調査の結果から，乳幼児期の親子のコミュニケーションや絆の形成を促すうえで，子どもの発達の重要なマイルストーンを，母親の視点から明らかにすることができたことは意義深いと考える。加えて，ふり遊びで良く用いられる「食べ物」についての子どもの認知を調査することは，食育の観点からも重要であり，子どもたちが食べ物をどのように認知し，興味を持つかを理解する手助けとなりうる。