Action at an Attentional Distance: A Study of Children's Reasoning about Causes and Effects Involving Spatial and Attentional Discontinuity

Autor/inn/en	Grotzer, Tina A.; Solis, S. Lynneth
Titel	Action at an Attentional Distance: A Study of Children's Reasoning about Causes and Effects Involving Spatial and Attentional Discontinuity
Quelle	In: Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 52 (2015) 7, S.1003-1030 (28 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0022-4308
DOI	10.1002/tea.21233
Schlagwörter	Elementary School Science; Elementary School Students; Grade 2; Grade 4; Grade 6; Science Process Skills; Scientific Concepts; Abstract Reasoning; Prior Learning; Thinking Skills; Spatial Ability; Attribution Theory; Influences; Concept Formation; Attention + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? School year 02; 2. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 02; School year 04; 4. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 04; School year 06; 6. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 06; Abstraktes Denken; Denken; Vorkenntnisse; Denkfähigkeit; Räumliches Vorstellungsvermögen; Influence; Einfluss; Einflussfaktor; Concept learning; Begriffsbildung; Aufmerksamkeit
Abstract	Spatial discontinuity between causes and effects is a feature of many scientific concepts, particularly those in the environmental and ecological sciences. Causes can be spatially separated from their effects by great distances. Action at a distance, the idea that causes and effects can be separated in physical space, is a well-studied concept in developmental psychology. However, the extant literature has focused largely on cases where causes and effects are separated in physical space but are contained within the same attentional space, for instance, how magnets on a table interact or how a lamp projected against an object creates a shadow despite the spatial gap between the lamp, object, and shadow. This paper considers the understanding of causes and effects that are separated both in physical and attentional space--a concept referred to here as "action at an attentional distance." Findings from an in-depth study of second, fourth and sixth graders' (n?=?10) reasoning about action at an attentional distance are presented. Children tended to reason locally, but when they did reason about action at an attentional distance, they relied upon mechanism information and prior knowledge. The implications for causal explanation and instructional design are considered. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01