Ewa Małgorzata Szepietowska, Sara Filipiak
Interpretation of familiar metaphors and proverbs by Polish people in middle and late adulthood
International journal of language & communication disorders
acquire social conventional knowledge children must distinguish behaviors practiced groups people versus practiced individuals children infer scope ie level generality social behavior prior work addressed question focusing cues instruction adults provide children current research takes novel approach examining whether children form scope inferences basis statistical evidence alone two studies 4 5yearolds n 70 7 8yearolds n 40 investigated whether children track integrate different forms statistical evidence infer scope social behaviors children presented combinations frequency evidence ie constancy behavior negative evidence ie alternative behavior together indicated whether behavior practiced wide group people narrower group people specific individual childrens inferences else would demonstrate behavior consistent evidence observed though younger children required supportive version task support inferences shared behaviors older children provided conventional explanations whereas younger children often provided psychological explanations together findings suggest alternative account children acquire social conventional knowledge beyond direct instruction overt social cues provided adults psycinfo database record c 2018 apa rights reserved