Two studies investigated children's beliefs about texts and their origins in an author's mind. In Study 1, 80 children between 4 and 7 years of age were interviewed during a dialogic story-reading activity to investigate their level of awareness about the author's existence and his or her mental processes. Study 2, involving only 5- and 6-year-olds, tested the hypothesis that guided reflection on fictional realities in a story might facilitate children's understanding that an author exists and that a story is the result of his or her mental activity. Results show that mature conceptions of the mental origins of the text appear around the age of 7 but that structured reflection about the fictional nature of the story may trigger this awareness starting around the age of 5 or 6.

Children's beliefs about authorship

ARFE', Barbara
2006-01-01

Abstract

Two studies investigated children's beliefs about texts and their origins in an author's mind. In Study 1, 80 children between 4 and 7 years of age were interviewed during a dialogic story-reading activity to investigate their level of awareness about the author's existence and his or her mental processes. Study 2, involving only 5- and 6-year-olds, tested the hypothesis that guided reflection on fictional realities in a story might facilitate children's understanding that an author exists and that a story is the result of his or her mental activity. Results show that mature conceptions of the mental origins of the text appear around the age of 7 but that structured reflection about the fictional nature of the story may trigger this awareness starting around the age of 5 or 6.
2006
authorship; children beliefs; theory of mind
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11562/321186
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