Volume 29, Issue 4 e2182

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Preschoolers' extension and export of information from realistic and fantastical stories

Deena Skolnick Weisberg,

Corresponding Author

Deena Skolnick Weisberg

deena.weisberg@villanova.edu

orcid.org/0000-0002-4000-4941

Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA

Correspondence

Deena Skolnick Weisberg, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Villanova University, 800 E. Lancaster Ave. Tolentine Hall, room 334, Villanova, PA 19085.

Email: deena.weisberg@villanova.edu

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Emily J. Hopkins,

Emily J. Hopkins

orcid.org/0000-0002-8427-5647

Department of Psychology, University of Scranton, Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA

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Deena Skolnick Weisberg,

Corresponding Author

Deena Skolnick Weisberg

deena.weisberg@villanova.edu

orcid.org/0000-0002-4000-4941

Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA

Correspondence

Deena Skolnick Weisberg, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Villanova University, 800 E. Lancaster Ave. Tolentine Hall, room 334, Villanova, PA 19085.

Email: deena.weisberg@villanova.edu

Search for more papers by this author

Emily J. Hopkins,

Emily J. Hopkins

orcid.org/0000-0002-8427-5647

Department of Psychology, University of Scranton, Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA

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First published: 21 April 2020

https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.2182

Citations: 14

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Abstract

How do young children decide which events can happen within fictional stories (extension) and learn new information from these stories (export)? In two studies, we investigate these two issues as well as the influence of story genre (realistic or fantastical) on these processes. Preschoolers (N = 192) heard either a realistic or fantastical story and were asked (a) whether a target piece of information should be extended to a different situation within the story context and (b) whether that piece of information could be true in real life. Extension and export were not generally affected by genre, but they were affected by the type of information with which children were presented. Adults (N = 93) responded similarly. These results suggest that children have a mature tendency to expect stories to remain internally consistent and rely on their background knowledge to interpret story events.

Highlights

We tested preschoolers' extension of information within realistic and fantastical stories and their learning from these stories.
Children expect stories to remain internally consistent, regardless of genre; both extension and learning were affected primarily by their familiarity with the target material.
Children's interactions with stories can shed light on their developing conceptual knowledge.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Open Research

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The data that support the findings of these studies are openly available at the Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/er5xh/.

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Volume29, Issue4

July/August 2020

e2182

Preschoolers' extension and export of information from realistic and fantastical stories

Abstract

Highlights

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Open Research

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

REFERENCES

Citing Literature

References

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Preschoolers' extension and export of information from realistic and fantastical stories

Abstract

Highlights

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Open Research

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

REFERENCES

Citing Literature

References

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