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Piaget and the Study of Animism
10/28/2017 Piaget and the Study of Animism Presented by: Margaret Boyd Colby Madrigal 1 1
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Jean Piaget Born in Neuchâtel,Switzerland on August 9th, 1896.
10/28/2017 Jean Piaget Born in Neuchâtel,Switzerland on August 9th, 1896. Known for being the pioneer for studies involving child development, beginning in the 1920s Developed the theory of Cognitive Development Director of the International Bureau of Education Created the International Center for Genetic Epistemology in Geneva in 1955 Died September 16th, 1980 in Geneva, Switzerland 2 2
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Preoperational Thought
2 to 7 years old Language Development is a hallmark of this period Children at this stage do not yet understand concrete logic, cannot mentally manipulate information and are egocentric (unable to see from the perspectives of others). During this stage, children become increasingly adept at using symbols (usually evidenced by more playing activity) In this stage, children have not yet developed the concept of conservation (that objects can change in appearance while still maintaining their properties).
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Concrete Operational Thought
7 to 11 years old During this stage, children gain better understanding of mental operations; they begin to think logically about concrete concepts, but still struggle with abstract ideas. Egocentrism vanishes Children grasp that when the appearance of an object changes, the properties of the object do not change.
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Animism Piaget noticed that children are inclined to view more objects as “alive” than are adults. Became interested in what they thought life was. From 4-6, children associated life with activity, such as a candle emitting light. (Preoperational Thought) From 6-8, children associated life with capacity for movement, rather than activity. (Preoperational Thought and Concrete Operational Thought) After 8, children only perceive objects which move on their own as alive. Soon after this (Piaget does not specify when), children restrict life to plants and animals. (Concrete Operational Thought)
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Piaget’s Procedure vs Our Procedure
Colby & Meg Asked children in each age group a non- uniform series of questions Asked “Is X alive?” and “Why/why not?” Asked children a uniform series of 10 questions (drawn from the many questions Piaget asked) Asked “Is X alive?” and “Why/why not?” Showed children clips from Disney movies and then, repeated questions.
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Our Goals Wanted to see if study conducted in the 1920’s would have different results if repeated today. Children today are exposed to entertainment media that frequently features anthropomorphized objects and animals. Does this affect the concepts of life that children develop? Wanted to repeat Piaget’s study with uniform questions to compare the results more easily Were keeping an eye out for answers that equated life with activity, movement, unassisted movement, and with plants and animals. Particular attention paid to whether or not the children progressed through these concepts the way Piaget said they would.
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What We Looked For: Equation of life with activity
Equation of life with capacity for movement Equation of life with capacity for movement on an object’s own power Patterns of answers that Piaget did not predict (Equation of life with “other”) Differences and similarities in the progression of animistic thought in our findings vs. in Piaget’s findings
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Participant Pool Participants drawn from a small, faith-based school in Texas. 2323 Cheyenne St., Irving, TX, 75062 Participants were from Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, and 5th Grade. (Note: We intended to take 4th Grade participants, but the school lost the consent forms for the parents). We sent out consent forms for the parents to sign. Those children whose parents gave permission signed assent forms that stated that the children could stop the study any time they wished and that there would be no negative consequences for participating. The children were shown three animated movie clips: “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast, “Just Around the River Bend” from Pochahontes, and “Everybody Wants to be a Cat” from the Aristocats. All of the children were allowed to watch the clips, but only half of the students were asked the questions again.
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Participants Participants were drawn from Kindergarten, 2nd Grade and 5th Grade. Kindergarten: Four students total. Two boys and two girls 2nd Grade: Five students total. Three boys and two girls. 5th Grade: Eight students total. Four boys and four girls. Each student was assigned a number for identification purposes (their genders and ages were recorded as well). Their names were not recorded for confidentiality purposes. Randomization to assign students the control group or the experimental group was done by putting the assent forms face down and selecting half (keeping in mind that we did ensure that there were an equal number of boys and girls in each group when possible). The students in the experimental group were asked the questions a second time after the movie clips were shown. Those in the control group returned to their classrooms.
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Piaget Questions Are you alive? Why or why not?
What is a living thing? Is a candle alive? Why or why not? Is a bicycle alive? Why or why not? Is poison alive? Why or why not? Is a cloud alive? Why or why not? Is a stone alive? Why or why not? Is a cat alive? Why or why not? Is a table alive? Why or why not? Is a river alive? Why or why not?
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Types of Answers Red = Human/Anatomy Yellow = Movement
Green = Unassisted Movement Orange = Activity Black = Origin/Religious Purple = Mentions Disney
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Experimental- Kindergarten
Student #2 (Female, Age 5) Student #3 (Male, Age 6) Yes; We can move Animal; They have babies No; It has fire No; It stays still when the wheels roll No; It makes people die No; It floats above the water in the sky No; It’s hard Yes; It’s an animal, all animals are alive No; It always stays still No; It floats up and down and it has water in it Yes; Because I haven’t died yet It’s a house full of living things; Because they have a home Yes; Because it has fire at the top No; It has rules and it can’t fit in the car Nope; Because it kills ants Yes; Because it flies No; It just sits Yes; Because it walks No; Because it just sits Yes; Because it moves Student # 2 (Female, Age 5) Student #3 (Male, Age 6) 1) Are you alive? Why or why not? 2) What is a living thing? 3) Is a candle alive? Why or why not? 4) Is a bicycle alive? Why or why not? 5) Is poison alive? Why or why not? 6) Is a cloud alive? Why or why not? 7) Is a stone alive? Why or why not? 8) Is a cat alive? Why or why not? 9) Is a table alive? Why or why not? 10) Is a river alive? Why or why not? Yes; Because me is me Cheetah; It has legs and can run really fast No; It has fire No; Anybody can sit on it and it has wheels No; It can kill people No; It’s above the water in the sky No; It’s hard, it’s not alive and you can’t make it alive Yes; It lives and it sleeps all the time and it has legs No; It’s hard and you can see on it No; It has water that goes up and down Yes; Because my heart- I haven’t died yet It’s all full of things Yes; Because it has fire at the top Yes; Because it rolls No; Because it kills all kinds of insects Yes; Because it is up in the air No; Because it sits Yes; Because it walks Yes; Because it moves
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Experimental 2nd Grade Student #5 (Male, Age 7)
Student #6 (Female, age 7) Yes; I have a heart Animal; When it runs around, it’s alive No; It just has flames on it No; When you peddle it, it moves Don’t know; When you touch it, it goes into your body and moves and its on a plant No; It moves around in the air, it you go through it it's just a cloud No, I mean yes; It stays in one place Yes; I have five cats, they run around No; It stays in one place and you eat off of it No; It’s just water Animal; It runs around No; It has flames of fire on it and it stays on a cake No; You just ride on it No; It just flows through your body if you touch it No; When you go through it, it’s still a cloud No; It just stays in one place Yes; A cat has a heart No; It just flows Student #5 (Male, Age 7) Student #6 (Female, Age 7) Yes; Are we back to this, oh come on, please, because I have a heart Not a lunchbox, an animal; Eats, runs, not laying on the floor dead No; It has fire on top No; You have to push the peddles to make it move Don’t know; If you touch it, it goes through your body No; It moves in the air, nothing can fly but birds No; It stays in one place Yes; It moves and eats No; You can just eat on it No; It just have water going through it Yes; I have a heart and because I have air Animal; It has air and a heart, but a human can’t be an animal No, yes, no; All it does is stand in the same place, can use it for light No; It doesn’t move, it stands in the same place, but if you ride it, it moves No; It can hurt you and it flows through you No; If you go through it, it’s still alive (?) No; It just stays in the same place Yes; It has air and a heart No; It stays in the same place No; It just flows Experimental 2nd Grade 1) Are you alive? Why or why not? 2) What is a living thing? 3) Is a candle alive? Why or why not? 4) Is a bicycle alive? Why or why not? 5) Is poison alive? Why or why not? 6) Is a cloud alive? Why or why not? 7) Is a stone alive? Why or why not? 8) Is a cat alive? Why or why not? 9) Is a table alive? Why or why not? 10) Is a river alive? Why or why not?
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Experimental- 5th Grade
Student #11 (Female, Age 11) Student #12 (Female, Age 10) Yes; I’m moving and breathing Frog; Something that breathes and moves No; It’s not breathing No; It doesn’t move No; It doesn’t breathe Yes; It breathes and moves Yes; Because of my mom Animals; Because God made me No; they just light stuff No; They only ride Yes; It will hurt you Yes; They’re in the sky and they make wind and rain No; It just stays there and doesn’t move Yes; It’s an animal that you take care of and it loves you No; It’s only for you to write and study on Yes; It has water and it moves Student #13 (Female, Age 11) Student #15 (Male, Age 10) 1) Yes; I have a heart, blood through my veins and brain, I can move and speak 2. Friends; Something that can breathe, react and has a brain and can survive 3. No; It doesn't have anything to move, can't produce food, no brain, man-made 4. No; It's not made of living matter, no blood vessels, no brain 5. No; it was produced, could be by plants or animals, but it's not living, it has no will 6.No; made of water, it is not alive 7. No; Stone was dirt, dirt was never living, could've been remains of thing that was once living 8. Yes; Made of living matter, will of its own, can communicate, has blood vessels 9. No; Man-made, if made of wood, it was once alive, tree was cut to become a table 10. No; Made of water, but it contains things that are alive, the things that make a river their home are alive 1) Yes; I have intestines, a heart, a brain and I can move 2) Person; things that's alive breathe 3) No; it's only wax, to light need oil and gas 4) No; it's metal and wheels 5) No; doesn't move, it has to be poured on something, kills other living things 6) No; it's just water from the ocean that goes to the sky and turns into gas 7) No; doesn't have anything else, it's itself 8) Yes; make noises, moves and eats 9) No; it's just wood, wood is a tree, I have trouble thinking a tree if alive 10) No; it's just when icebergs pass it leaves a river, just dirt and stones. Experimental- 5th Grade 1) Are you alive? Why or why not? 2) What is a living thing? 3) Is a candle alive? Why or why not? 4) Is a bicycle alive? Why or why not? 5) Is poison alive? Why or why not? 6) Is a cloud alive? Why or why not? 7) Is a stone alive? Why or why not? 8) Is a cat alive? Why or why not? 9) Is a table alive? Why or why not? 10) Is a river alive? Why or why not?
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2nd Round- 5th Grade Student #11 (Female, Age 11)
1) Yes; I move and breathe 2) Person; something that can move 3) Yes; it moves, the flame moves 4) No; it doesn't move by itself, someone has to ride it 5) Yes; it moves through your body 6) No; the earth moves it, not the cloud 7) No; it doesn't breathe or move 8) Yes; it breathes and moves, they interact with each other 9) No; it doesn't move 10) Yes; it moves when the water moves 1) Yes; because God created me 2) Animals; they walk and eat stuff 3) No; doesn't move, only gives light to the room 4) No; you can only ride it 5) Yes; it can poison and hurt you 6) Yes; it creates rain to fall from the sky, gives us wind 7) No; it stays there, can't move by itself 8) Yes; it can move and it's a pet 9) No; it stands still unless you move it somewhere else 10) Yes; it has water, it goes and comes Student #13 (Male, Age 11) Student #15 (Male, Age 10) 1) Yes; I can breathe, walk, think, I have a will, I can make decisions and move 2) Family, friends, pets; it can see, breath, produces, consume, think and has a will 3) No; just in Disney movies, no brain, blood vessels, organs and cant produce or consume, it's man-made and made of wax 4) No; it has no brain, no will, can't think, and its a solid matter 5) No; may come from something that was alive but not itself alive 6) No; just water that has risen to the sky and forms humidity 7) No; may have been if fossil, it's dirt with bits of material overtime forming solid matter 8) Yes; has thinking ability, ability to communicate and move, has organs, blood vessels, produce and consume. Has a will 9) No; if made of wood, it was once alive because it was a tree, now not alive, made into a table 10) No; things making the river its home are alive, the liquid itself isn't 1) Yes; I breathe, walk, have organs, intestines and blood, lots more to come 2) Person or thing; something that breathes 3) No; it's just wax and string 4) No; it only has metal and rubber 5) No; doesn't breathe or move by itself, it kills living things 6) No; just water going up to the atmosphere and turning into air 7) No; doesn't breathe or have organs 8) Yes; it moves, breathes and has organs, it makes noises 9) No; it's made up of wood, glass or metal 10) No; it's dirt and stone carved into flowing water, leads to ocean 2nd Round- 5th Grade 1) Are you alive? Why or why not? 2) What is a living thing? 3) Is a candle alive? Why or why not? 4) Is a bicycle alive? Why or why not? 5) Is poison alive? Why or why not? 6) Is a cloud alive? Why or why not? 7) Is a stone alive? Why or why not? 8) Is a cat alive? Why or why not? 9) Is a table alive? Why or why not? 10) Is a river alive? Why or why not?
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Results Kindergarten Activity 4/60 Movement 12/60
Unassisted movement 2/60 Human qualities 4/60 ”Because it’s an animal/plant” 1/60 Religious/Origin 1/60 Other 36/60
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Results 2nd Grade Activity 14/80 Movement 16/80
Unassisted movement 8/80 Human qualities 25/80 “Because it’s an animal/plant” 1/80 Other
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5th Grade 5th Grade Activity 5/120 Movement 34/120
Origin/Religious 10/120 Human-like (Anatomical) 48/120 Reference to substance/scientific makeup 26/120
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Conclusions Kindergarteners: Cannot be put in a clear, single stage of animistic thought. Exhibited different animistic logic for different objects. 2nd Graders: Often, their answers were with regard to human qualities and human anatomy. (Ex: “No. It has a lot of water and we don’t have that much” or “No. Because it doesn’t have blood or bones.” Evidence of concrete operational thought (as they used a specific idea to characterize life) or egocentrism. 5th Graders: Cannot be put in a clear, single stage of animistic thought, but did very frequently reference human/anatomical qualities, the substance of the object in question and movement. Referenced origin more than the 2nd graders or kindergartners, but still not especially often.
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THE COHERENCY ISSUE Piaget’s participants offer coherent, short, and even poetic answers. One offered that a candle “is alive when it is giving light, but it isn’t alive when it is not giving light.” We found that many of our participants, especially the younger ones, did not give answers like this. For example, one student supplied that a candle is alive, “Because it has eyes.” Another explained that a cat was alive, because “legs” (not because of legs: simply, because “legs”). A particularly interesting answer protested that a living thing was “[a] house full of things.” First, often the answers were not easy to categorize, particularly not into Piaget’s categories. Second, the difference between the coherency of Piaget’s participants and our participants was noteworthy. Since he did not use uniform questions, he may have prompted the children until they gave desirably formatted answers. On the other hand, there may be a difference in how children today and children in the 1920s communicate, which would be worth pursuing.
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Our Thoughts Piaget stated that children ages 4-6 associate life with activity, children 6-8 with movement, and children over 8 with unassisted movement at first, and later, with animals and plants. The children we interviewed overlapped in these ways of thinking at every age and did not stay in a distinct mode of thought. Furthermore, they exhibited even more associations (with humans, origin, and substance) than Piaget suggested that they would. Whether this is due to the children receiving a particular kind of education or differences between the 1920s and modern day remains to be seen. The children did not change their answers after watching the Disney movies. We found no evidence that the clips affected the children. However, many had seen the movies prior to the experiment and some participants referenced said movies before we showed them in their answers. We suspect entertainment media has an effect on animistic perception, but we did not garner any information on it from this experiment.
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Possible Errors The structure of the room prevented the total separation of the children; it was not possible to interview them entirely alone. As a result, the children could hear each others answers, even when the interviewer took the interviewee to a different table. The children imitated each others’ answers. The kindergartners were distracted by people walking by, the other students in the room and by anything outside. The second graders were influenced by one another, were distracted by things on the walls, and vocally indicated that they felt the questions were beneath them, funny or annoying. The fifth graders had to take a Spanish test after the movie clips were shown, leaving a window of two hours between the clips and the second round of questions.
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Citations Crain, William C. "Chapter 6: Piaget's Cognitive- Developmental Theory."Theories of Development: Concepts and Applications. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, Print.
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