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.

Alison Gopnik: What do babies think?

What do babies think?

18-month-olds demonstrate profound insights into human desires, distinguishing personal preferences in broccoli and crackers test.

Children’s play is revealed as sophisticated R&D, testing hypotheses and learning about their surroundings more effectively than adults.

Young children display a lantern-like consciousness, absorbing varied information simultaneously, unlike adults' focused spotlight.