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Why your mind is like a shark: Testing the idea of mutualism
Authors:
KIEVIT, R.A., SIMPSON-KENT, I.L., and FUHRMANN, D.,
Reference:
Frontiers for Young Minds, 8:60
Year of publication:
2020
CBU number:
8512
Abstract:
We want to understand how children get so much better at certain
cognitive abilities like reading, writing, and problem solving as they
get older. To better understand this, we followed hundreds of
children across a period of years, to see how abilities like problem
solving and vocabulary changed over time. We found that having
good vocabulary to start with made children’s problem-solving
development go more quickly. It also worked the other way around:
being better at problem solving meant children were quicker to learn
new words. In other words, each cognitive ability may help other
abilities develop. This idea is called mutualism. We were very excited
by this discovery, because it can help us understand how children
become better even at things they never practice directly, and how
teachers can better help children who find certain school topics
more challenging.
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