Inhibitory control interacts with core knowledge in toddlers’ manual search for an occluded object

Baker, ST; Gjersoe, NL; Sibielska-Woch, K; Leslie, AM; Hood, BM

Abstract

Core knowledge theories advocate the primacy of fundamental principles that constrain cognitive development from early
infancy. However, there is concern that core knowledge of object properties does not constrain older preschoolers’ reasoning
during manual search. Here we address in detail both failure and success on two well-established search measures that require
reasoning about solidity. We show that poor performance arises from an inability to engage the appropriate search strategy
rather than a simple failure of core knowledge. Moreover, we demonstrate that successful search is positively correlated with
inhibitory control. We believe that toddlers’ manual search for an occluded object reflects a general capacity to deploy inhibition
so that search behaviour can be guided by core knowledge.

Citation

Baker, S., Gjersoe, N., Sibielska-Woch, K., Leslie, A., & Hood, B. (2011). Inhibitory control interacts with core knowledge in toddlers’ manual search for an occluded object. Developmental Science, 14(2), 270-279. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2010.00972.x

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 4, 2010
• Publication Date: Feb 18, 2011
• Deposit Date: Jan 28, 2011
• Journal: Developmental Science
• Print ISSN: 1363-755X
• Electronic ISSN: 1467-7687
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 270-279
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2010.00972.x
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2010.00972.x
• Related Public URLs: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1467-7687