Do Lions Have Manes? For Children, Generics Are About Kinds Rather Than Quantities

• Autores: Amanda C. Brandone, Andrei Cimpian, Sarah-Jane Leslie, Susan A. Gelman
• Localización: Child development, ISSN 0009-3920, Vol. 83, Nº. 2, 2012, págs. 423-433
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Generic statements (e.g., “Lions have manes”) make claims about kinds (e.g., lions as a category) and, for adults, are distinct from quantificational statements (e.g., “Most lions have manes”), which make claims about how many individuals have a given property. This article examined whether young children also understand that generics do not depend purely on quantitative information. Five-year-olds (n = 36) evaluated pairs of questions expressing properties that were matched in prevalence but varied in whether adults accept them as generically true (e.g., “Do lions have manes?” [true] vs. “Are lions boys?” [false]). Results demonstrated that children evaluate generics based on more than just quantitative information. Data suggest that even young children recognize that generics make claims about kinds.