Older (but not younger) preschoolers reject incorrect knowledge claims

Abstract

As epistemic and normative learners, children are dependent on their developing skills for evaluating others' claims. This competence seems particularly important in the current digital age in which children need to discern valid from invalid assertions about the world in both real-life and virtual interactions to ultimately gather and accumulate robust knowledge. We investigated whether younger and older preschoolers (N = 48) understand that a speaker's knowledge claim ('I know where X is') may be correct or incorrect given objectively accessible information (about whether the speaker had perceptual access to a critical event). We found that both younger and older preschoolers accepted correct knowledge claims that matched observable reality, but that only older preschoolers reliably rejected incorrect knowledge claims that did not match reality (the speaker lacked perceptual access). Nevertheless, a considerable proportion of younger preschoolers both rejected incorrect knowledge claims and gave valid explanations, suggesting that the ability to scrutinize epistemic claims develops gradually from around 3 to 4 years of age. These findings may help integrate research on children's norm and theory of mind development. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Preschoolers understand that non-epistemic claims (e.g., 'This is an X!') may be correct or incorrect, and they track a speaker's relevant characteristics in testimonial situations. It is not known what preschoolers understand about the validity of epistemic (knowledge) claims (e.g., 'I know that X'). What does this study add? Younger and older preschoolers accepted correct knowledge claims (children observed that a speaker saw a critical event and was thus knowledgeable). Only older preschoolers reliably rejected incorrect knowledge claims (the speaker did not see the critical event). Nevertheless, a considerable proportion of younger preschoolers showed competence in their evaluation of, and reasoning about, incorrect knowledge claims. Findings suggest that the ability to evaluate epistemic claims develops gradually from around 3 to 4 years of age.

Merit overrules theory of mind when young children share resources with others

“…Evidence demonstrates that infants and younger pre-schoolers use lower level forms of social understanding to correctly infer that presence (or absence) leads to knowledge (or ignorance) of changes within the environment [34,35]. Moreover, previous research shows that pre-schoolers can also match observable reality (e.g., what a puppet has seen) with subsequent knowledge claims [36]. Thus, pre-schoolers within the present study are developmentally capable of making the inference that as the puppet was in attendance during the practice round, it should be able to accurately name each picture card item when prompted by the experimenter.…”

Epistemic trust: a comprehensive review of empirical insights and implications for developmental psychopathology

“…The resulting synthesis is displayed in Table 1 . See Supplementary Table 1 (Barth et al ., 2014 ; Bascandziev & Harris, 2014, 2016 ; Baumann et al ., 2023 ; Bernard et al ., 2012 ; Bernard et al ., 2014 ; Bernard et al ., 2016 ; Bincoletto et al ., 2023 ; Birch et al ., 2008 ; Bo et al ., 2017 ; Boseovski & Thurman, 2014 ; Bridgers et al ., 2016 ; Brink & Wellman, 2020 ; Brosseau-Liard & Birch, 2010 , 2011 ; Brosseau-Liard et al ., 2015 ; Brosseau-Liard, et al ., 2018 ; Butler et al ., 2018 ; Campbell et al ., 2021 ; Castelain et al ., 2016 ; Chan & Tardif, 2013 ; Clegg et al ., 2019 ; Clément et al ., 2013 ; Corriveau et al ., 2009 ; Corriveau et al ., 2011 ; Corriveau et al ., 2013 ; Corriveau & Harris, 2009a , 2009b ; Corriveau & Kurkul, 2014 ; Danovitch & Alzahabi, 2013 ; Danovitch & Mills, 2014 ; Ding et al ., 2022 ; Doebel et al ., 2016 ; Durkin & Shafto, 2016 ; Echterhoff et al ., 2017 ; Einav, 2014 ; Einav et al ., 2020 ; Einav & Robinson, 2010 ; Elashi & Mills, 2014 ; Fedra & Schmidt, 2019 ; Fitneva & Dunfield, 2010 ; Frenken & Imhoff, 2022; Fusaro & Harris, 2008; Gierth & Bromme, 2020 ; Gilbert et al ., 1990 ; Gilbert et al ., 1993 ; Ghossainy et al ., 2021 ; Guerrero et al ., 2017 ; Guerrero et al ., 2019 ; Guerrero et al ., …”

Language and children's understanding of knowledge: Epistemic talk in early childhood

“…For instance, 3‐year‐olds often succeed when simply asked to make knowledge judgments for self and other based upon whether or not one has looked inside a box to identify its contents (e.g., Gonzales et al, 2018). However, in conditions where someone without access to information nevertheless expresses knowledge about it, 3‐year‐olds tend to favor the claim as evidence of knowledge although by age four this tendency diminishes (Fedra & Schmidt, 2019; Palmquist & Jaswal, 2012). Three‐year‐olds' processing capacities may be especially challenged in situations where they must coordinate two different facets of the situation—the knowledge claim and the lack of perceptual access—when making a judgment (Fedra & Schmidt, 2019).…”

“…However, in conditions where someone without access to information nevertheless expresses knowledge about it, 3‐year‐olds tend to favor the claim as evidence of knowledge although by age four this tendency diminishes (Fedra & Schmidt, 2019; Palmquist & Jaswal, 2012). Three‐year‐olds' processing capacities may be especially challenged in situations where they must coordinate two different facets of the situation—the knowledge claim and the lack of perceptual access—when making a judgment (Fedra & Schmidt, 2019). Young children's initiation of a question–answer routine that features their own knowledge claims suggests the salience such claims might hold for them (Table 1).…”