Availability heuristic; Metacognition; Decision making; Judgment; Children
Abstract :
[en] This study examined whether young children are influenced by the subjective experience associated with an easy or difficult recall when making memory decisions. Seventy-one children, aged 4, 6, and 8 years, were asked to generate either a small (easy condition) or large (hard condition) number of first names. Statistical analyses revealed that participants in the hard condition were more likely to infer that they did not know many names than participants in the easy condition, contrary to what would be expected if children based their memory judgement on the objective number of recalled items. Overall, our results support the hypothesis that children as young as 4 years old rely on the subjective experience of ease to regulate their decision-making processes. Theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.
Disciplines :
Theoretical & cognitive psychology
Author, co-author :
Geurten, Marie ; Université de Liège > Département de Psychologie : cognition et comportement > Neuropsychologie
Willems, Sylvie ; Université de Liège > Clinique psychologique et logopédique universitaire (CPLU)
Germain, Sophie ; Université de Liège > Département de Psychologie : cognition et comportement > Neuropsychologie
Meulemans, Thierry ; Université de Liège > Doyen de la Fac. de Psych., Logopédie et Sc. de l'Education
Language :
English
Title :
Less is more: The availability heuristic in early childhood
Publication date :
2015
Journal title :
British Journal of Developmental Psychology
ISSN :
0261-510X
Publisher :
British Psychological Society, Leicester, United Kingdom
Volume :
33
Issue :
4
Pages :
405-410
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]
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