Is the bias for function-based explanations culturally universal? Children from China endorse teleological explanations of natural phenomena.

ABSTRACT: Young children in Western cultures tend to endorse teleological (function-based) explanations broadly across many domains, even when scientifically unwarranted. For instance, in contrast to Western adults, they explicitly endorse the idea that mountains were created for climbing, just like hats were created for warmth. Is this bias a product of culture or a product of universal aspects of human cognition? In two studies, we explored whether adults and children in Mainland China, a highly secular, non-Western culture, show a bias for teleological explanations. When explaining both object properties (Experiment 1) and origins (Experiment 2), we found evidence that they do. Whereas Chinese adults restricted teleological explanations to scientifically warranted cases, Chinese children endorsed

SUBMITTER: Schachner A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5296364 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature