Three-Year Olds Know Better

A study finds that three-year old children know a lot more than we might give them credit for. Christie Nicholson reports

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Next time a three-year old tells you what to do you might want to listen. Because three-year olds can recognize when we adults are doing something counterproductive and are keen to help us find a better way. That’s according to new research in the journal Developmental Psychology (PDF.)

Scientists had 58 three-year olds examine several functional and non-functional objects. Like a real phone and a toy phone, or a working marker and a dried-up marker.

Then the researcher would say something like, “I need to make a phone call, can you get me the phone.” Sometimes they’d point to the real phone and other times point to the toy phone. The children would consistently bring over the functional item, regardless of whether the researcher pointed to it or asked specifically for it. In contrast, when they were told the item would just be thrown out, they’d bring either the non-functional or functional object. And in the case when any object would do, such as something that could act as a paperweight, the children brought either the fake one or the real one.

Ultimately the children focused on the end goal and deliberately choose the best item, as opposed to what was instructed of them. A good reminder for us adults.