Hughes’ policeman doll study

Hughes’ study: AIM

To create a test of egocentrism that would be more understandable to children younger than 7 years old.

(Aka. An alternate experiment to Piaget’s “three mountains” task)

Hughes’ study: METHOD

• Children aged 3.5 - 5 were shown a model with two intersecting walls

• The child was asked to hide one boy doll and one policeman doll to ensure they understood the task.

• The child’s egocentrism was then tested, asking the child to hide the boy doll from the policemen to test if they could “see from the policemen’s perspectives

Hughes’ study: RESULTS

• 90 prevent of the children ages 3.5 - 5 could hide the boy doll from two policemen

• When a complex model was used with five or six walls, 60 percent of 3 year olds and 90 percent of 4 year olds could still hide the boy doll correctly.

Hughes’ study: CONCLUSION

The study shows that children aged 4 are mostly likely not egocentric,

Piaget underestimated younger children’s abilities because his three mountains task most likely didn’t make sense to the children

Hughes’ study: STRENGTH

The task made sense to the children.

Hiding a doll from a policeman is easier to think about than selecting a view of a mountain top (Piaget’s method.)

A more realistic test of the children’s abilities

Hughes’ study: WEAKNESS

The researchers’ expectations may have influenced the childrens’ behaviour.

They may unconsciously have given the children cues how to behave in the policeman task, which could have caused the results to lack validity.