PSYC 101 Week 8

Lecture 15: Representation & Pretend Play

Main Points

  • The Symbolic Species: Humans are unique in their widespread use of non-language symbols (maps, models, pictures) to communicate and represent the world.

  • Dual Representation:

    • To use a symbol, a child must represent it in two ways: as a concrete object itself and as a symbol for something else.

    • The Scale-Model Task: A famous experiment where a child sees a toy hidden in a small model room and is asked to find it in a full-sized room.

      • 2.5-year-olds fail: They cannot treat the model as a symbol; they see it only as an object.

      • 3-year-olds pass: They have developed the capacity for dual representation.

  • DeLoache’s "Incredible Shrinking Room": Researchers convinced children a "shrinking machine" turned a large room into a small model. Because the children believed it was the same room (just smaller), dual representation wasn't required, and even 2.5-year-olds passed.

  • Scale Errors: Toddlers often try to perform actions on miniature objects as if they were full-sized (e.g., trying to sit in a tiny toy car). This happens because of a disconnect between visual perception and the planning of motor actions.

  • Pretend Play:

    • Emerges around 18 months.

    • Sociodramatic Play: Complex "acting out" of roles (e.g., playing "doctor" or "house"). This helps children explore social boundaries and practice emotional regulation.

    • Imaginary Friends: Very common and typically associated with children who are more social, have better "Theory of Mind," and are often first-borns or only children.

  • Rational Imitation: Children don't just mimic; they think about why an adult acted a certain way.

    • The "Hands-Free vs. Hands-Busy" Study: If an adult uses their head to turn on a light because their hands are wrapped in a blanket, babies use their hands (rationalizing the adult had no choice). If the adult's hands are free and they still use their head, babies use their head (assuming there is a specific reason to do so).

Key Terms & Definitions

  • Symbol: Anything that a person intends to stand for something other than itself.

  • Dual Representation: The ability to mentally represent an object in two different ways at the same time (as a real object and a symbol).

  • Scale Error: An attempt by a young child to perform an action on a miniature object that is impossible due to the large discrepancy in the relative sizes of the child and the object.

  • Object Substitution: Using an object as something other than itself during play (e.g., using a banana as a telephone).

  • Sociodramatic Play: Activities in which children enact miniature dramas with other children or adults.

  • Pedagogy as a "Double-Edged Sword": The idea that direct instruction helps a child learn a specific fact but may accidentally discourage them from exploring and discovering other related facts on their own.