Tool selection based on rigidity in young children: a comparative approach

• Héctor M. Manrique ^[1] ; Yurena Hernández-Gálvez ^[2] ; Juan Hernández-Cabrera ^[2] ; Carlos J. Álvarez ^[2]
  1. [1] Universidad de Zaragoza

     Universidad de Zaragoza

     Zaragoza, España

     
  2. [2] Universidad de La Laguna

     Universidad de La Laguna

     San Cristóbal de La Laguna, España

     
• Localización: Journal for the Study of Education and Development, Infancia y Aprendizaje, ISSN-e 1578-4126, ISSN 0210-3702, Vol. 45, Nº 2, 2022, págs. 382-412
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.1080/02103702.2021.2000128
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Selección de herramientas en función de su rigidez con niños preescolares: un enfoque comparativo
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen
  • español

    Un total de 51 niños de 23 a 55 meses se enfrentaron a dos tareas con aparatos que requerían el uso de una herramienta rígida (tarea con caja) o flexible (tarea con tubo) tipo bastón para recu- perar un juguete (objeto-recompensa) de su interior. Antes de tratar de extraer el objeto, se les permitió seleccionar una sola herramienta (de tres disponibles) con la flexibilidad o rigidez apropiada para la tarea. Para informar su decisión, se les permitía o bien manipular las herramientas por sí mismos (información háptica), o bien observar a una experimentadora mientras esta las manipulaba y doblaba durante cinco segundos cada una (información visual) antes de seleccionar una de ellas. Los niños mostraron más dificultades en la selección de las herramientas flexibles que las rígidas. Asimismo, la inspección háptica de las herramientas por parte de los niños no mejoró significativamente la precisión de sus decisiones, lo que indica que observar la demostración de la experimentadora les transmitió toda la información necesaria para optar por la herramienta correcta.

  • English

    Fifty-one 23-to-55-month-old-infants faced two apparatuses that required the use of a rigid (box apparatus) or flexible (hose apparatus) stick-like tool to retrieve a toy stuck inside. Before attempting the extraction, however, they had to pick the only one tool (of three) on display that had the appropriate rigidity/flexibility to be effective. To inform their decisions, they could either manipulate the three tools themselves (haptic information) or observe the experimenter bending and unbending them for just five seconds each (visual information) before selection. Children found more difficulties in selecting appropriate flexible tools, as compared to rigid ones. Moreover, infants’ own haptic inspection of each tool did not significantly improve their selection accuracy, which indicates that observing the experimenter’s demonstration conveyed all the information required to make correct choices.

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