ERIC Number: EJ729011
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Jan
Pages: 29
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0272-930X
EISSN: N/A
Similarity Comparisons and Relational Analogies in Parent-Child Conversations about Science Topics
Valle, Araceli; Callanan, Maureen A.
Merrill-Palmer Quarterly: Journal of Developmental Psychology, v52 n1 p96-124 Jan 2006
This article explores analogy as a communicative tool used by parents to relate children's past experiences to unfamiliar concepts. Two studies explored how similarity comparisons and relational analogies were used in parent-child conversations about science topics. In Study 1, 98 family groups including 4- to 9-year-olds explored two science museum exhibits. Parents suggested comparisons and overtly mapped analogical relations. In Study 2, 48 parents helped first- and third-grade children understand a homework-like question about infections. Parents suggested relational analogies and overtly mapped analogical relations for children. Use of relational analogies was positively associated with scores on a post-task measure of understanding. These studies suggest that parents help children learn about unfamiliar science topics by suggesting personally relevant or culturally pervasive analogies and by elaborating unfamiliar and non-obvious analogical relations. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)
Descriptors: Parent Child Relationship, Logical Thinking, Diseases, Scientific Concepts, Science Fairs, Museums, Cognitive Development, Homework, Early Childhood Education, Hypothesis Testing, Science Education, Exhibits, Questionnaires
Wayne State University Press, The Leonard N. Simons Building, 4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309. Tel: 800-978-7323; Fax: 313-577-6131; Web site: http://wsupress.wayne.edu.
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A