Name: What do babies think?
Uploaded: 2011-10-10T15:12:56Z
Duration: 18 min 12 s
Description: "Babies and young children are like the R&D division of the human species," says psychologist Alison Gopnik. Her research explores the sophisticated intelligence-gathering and decision-making that babies are really doing when they play.

Early reasoning about desires: Evidence from 14- and 18-month-olds

The power of possibility: Causal learning, counterfactual reasoning, and pretend play

Scientific thinking in young children: Theoretical advances, empirical research, and policy implications

*The Philosophical Baby*

"Babies and young children are like the R&D division of the human species," says psychologist Alison Gopnik. Her research explores the sophisticated intelligence-gathering and decision-making that babies are really doing when they play.

What do babies think?

Babies and young children learn about the world with astonishing speed and sophistication, more like scientists than passive sponges. An 18-month-old can grasp that someone else may want broccoli even when they themselves prefer crackers. Evolution has equipped children with powerful brains and a unique, open-minded form of consciousness, allowing them to absorb, test, and experiment with new information constantly. Their playful curiosity is a crucial engine of human intelligence and adaptability.