Music lessons may benefit a child’s general academic skills, but so too can art lessons. So does music training deliver any special cognitive benefits? Kids hone auditory skills that can help them decipher speech. And new research hints that certain kinds of music training might boost math and thinking skills. Here are the details. How … Continue reading
© 2017 – 2020 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Working memory (or “WM”) is the system we use to keep information immediately available in our thoughts. We use working memory when we perform calculations in our heads, track the meaning of a conversation, and remember what we’re supposed to do next. As you can … Continue reading
© 2020 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Babies expect adults to share resources equally. They prefer people who behave with fairness. But babies are also learning about selfishness and favoritism. Can we become the role models our children deserve? Everyone should get a fair share. It’s the organizing principle of hunter-gatherer societies, and a … Continue reading
Do babies have prosocial impulses? Do they feel empathy? A preference for do-gooders? An inclination to be helpful? Do babies know right from wrong? Let’s be clear: We shouldn’t hold babies responsible for moral transgressions. They can’t anticipate all the consequences of the things they do. If your baby hits you in the face with … Continue reading
© 2008 – 2019 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved In his review of the research, Stephen Norris notes that critical thinking in children is uncommon: “Most students do not score well on tests that measure ability to recognize assumptions, evaluate arguments, and appraise inferences” (Norris 1985). Why is critical thinking so difficult? Some argue … Continue reading
Kids make strange errors, but not because they’re clueless. Studies of cognitive development suggest we’re partly to blame. We’re testing them the wrong way.
Spatial intelligence is crucial for success in many fields, ranging from science and engineering to construction and graphic design. Can we improve spatial skills? Experiments say yes.
Empathy in children is a hot research topic, and a subject of great practical importance for families and communities. Empathy seems to be a crucial component of social intelligence, and many scholars argue that empathy is the basis for morality. So people want to know when and how children become aware of the feelings of … Continue reading
© 2008-2013 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Intelligence-boosting products are big business: Books, toys, DVDs, software, games, and educational programs designed to make your child into an intellectual prodigy. Many of these products come with claims–explicit or implicit–that their usefulness is supported by scientific evidence. Are they really? Sometimes. For instance, as I’ve noted … Continue reading
Assessing the beneficial effects of video games Some parents worry about video games, and their worries aren’t unwarranted. Video games can be engrossing, so much so that kids neglect other activities, like school work, chores, exercise, and sleep. There is also experimental evidence that playing violent video games has an immediate, negative influence on our … Continue reading
© 2008 – 2012 Gwen Dewar, all rights reserved What do babies know about numbers? Back in the 20th century, people assumed that infants lacked “number sense.” But today’s cognitive scientists have overturned the old ideas. Experimental research reveals a fascinating new world of baby cognition, one in which babies can recognize the approximate difference … Continue reading
© 2011 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Kids benefit when we teach them critical thinking skills. What’s the best way to do it? Studies suggest that explicit lessons in logic and reasoning are effective, so much so that they may actually improve a child’s IQ. But few kids encounter such lessons, even in high … Continue reading