YOUNG CHILDRENS UNDERSTANDING OF THE MIND - IMAGERY, INTROSPECTION, AND SOME IMPLICATIONS

This article summarizes a program of research demonstrating that early in the preschool years children already have both a basic understanding of the ontological distinction between the mind and the external world and some capacity for introspection. Three-year-olds understand that mental phenomena such as visual images are subjective and immaterial. They can also engage in a rudimentary form of introspection, as shown by their ability to reflect on and discuss mental images. By 5 years of age, some children not only spontaneously use mental rotation on a mental-rotation task, but they also are conscious of this mental process. These findings sharply contrast with traditional accounts of development, in which such accomplishments were believed to occur only much later. This research supports both a more positive view of young children's understanding of the mind and a greater emphasis on metacognition in early childhood education.