A developmental study of children's logical and intuitive thinking: The relationship between numerical concepts and cognition of imaginary world.

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24530807
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Educational psychology
• Research Institution: Akita University
• Principal Investigator: YAMANA Yuko 秋田大学, 教育文化学部, 准教授 (10399131)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TSUKAKOSHI Nami 山梨大学, 総合研究部, 准教授 (60523701)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 思考のゆらぎ / 論理的思考 / 直観的思考 / 数量概念 / 想像的世界 / 保育者の専門性 / 発達的理解 / 幼児期

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to reveal the processes of cognitive development focusing on the “fluctuation” between children's logical and intuitive thinking. Lots of episodes were observed in which such “fluctuation” in thinking was reflected during their make-believe plays or utterances. It was suggested that the nature of “fluctuation” varied while the children interacted with their peers or teachers depending on the situation they were in. Furthermore, another analysis of five-year-old children revealed several episodes that reflected concrete “fluctuated” thinking patterns concerning their knowledge such as money related concepts or imaginary characteristics. It was also indicated that kindergarten teachers tended to try to understand their children’s murmurings especially when “fluctuated” thinking was reflected.

Free Research Field

発達心理学