(July 6, 2015) How do babies and toddlers make sense of the world around
them? Do they see animals as different from people and objects? Do babies think
you should share your cookies equally with others?
These are some of the questions that a new research
programme on early childhood learning by Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
will try to answer. The studies will provide insights into whether children are
born with early abstract expectations or whether they learn through
socialisation.
An on-site research facility will be set up at KidsSTOP™,
the children’s science centre. NTU researchers will conduct a series of
experiments over five years, with each experiment targeting about 200
participants.
The research programme is led by NTU psychology Assistant
Professor Setoh Pei Pei who heads the university’s Early Cognition Laboratory.
Bringing scientists and visitors together, the partnership aims to promote citizen
science - public participation in scientific research, where visitors are part
of science as it unfolds.
“This research aims to improve our understanding of moral
and prosocial behaviour in infants and toddlers. While such studies are common
in the United States, studies in the Asian context are relatively fewer. To
fill this gap, the NTU team will carry out a series of research projects
targeted at children from three months to six years old,” said Asst Prof Setoh.