If you think you can bluff your way through with young children, think again!!
New research has shown that children as young as 4 years old can differentiate whether what you’re telling them is real or not:
In three studies, about 400 children ages 3 to 6 heard about something new and had to say whether they thought it was real or not. Some children heard the information defined in scientific terms (“Doctors use surnits to make medicine”), while others heard it defined in fantastical terms (“Fairies use hercs to make fairy dust”). The researchers found that children’s ability to use contextual cues to determine whether the information is true develops significantly between the ages of 3 and 5.
- Source: “Young Children Don’t Believe Everything They Hear”. ScienceDaily. 20 November 2006.
You can read the full research report in the November/December issue of the journal Child Development (you’ll need to be a SRCD member to read the report online). Alternatively, you can go down to the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library to read it though the November/December issue is not available yet. You can check the availability here.
Well, to me, this research definitely rings true even though Matthew is only 14 months old. On occasions, he’s already able to differentiate whether I’m telling him the truth or not, especially when it’s food. 
When he doesn’t want to eat, we’ll coax him by telling him how delicious the food is, but somehow or rather, he knows that we’re just bluffing him and refuses to open his mouth.
So, even 14 months old kids are smart enough to know when you’re bluffing them.
(via Boing Boing)
Technorati Tags: child development, parenting, research
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