Researchers: Children exposed to religion have difficulty distinguishing fact from fiction

[doxydad]

A study published in the July issue of Cognitive Science determined that children who are not exposed to religious stories are better able to tell that characters in “fantastical stories” are fictional — whereas children raised in a religious environment even “approach unfamiliar, fantastical stories flexibly.”

In “Judgments About Fact and Fiction by Children From Religious and Nonreligious Backgrounds,” Kathleen Corriveau, Eva Chen, and Paul Harris demonstrate that children typically have a “sensitivity to the implausible or magical elements in a narrative,” and can determine whether the characters in the narrative are real or fictional by references to fantastical elements within the narrative, such as “invisible sails” or “a sword that protects you from danger every time.”


http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/18/researchers-children-exposed-to-religion-have-difficulty-distinguishing-fact-from-fiction/
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[cali]

1. What a silly, meaningless study. The kids were between the ages of 5 and 6.

what does it matter if a 5 or 6 year old has "trouble" distinguishing fictional characters from real ones? Now if an 18 year old has the same trouble- such as the example used in the story of Tom Sawyer and George Washington- that might actually tell us something with some degree of meaning. And anyway, how many 6 year old kids even know the story of Tom Sayer? What about kids of that age who grow up in non-religious households where Santa Claus is presented as real? Or the tooth fairy, etc?

[Gormy Cuss]

13. It matters because the pattern of acceptance was different based on whether the children

Last edited Sun Jul 20, 2014, 12:02 PM - Edit history (1)

had been taught to accept stories on faith rather than using critical thinking. Is it a big honking finding? No. Is it interesting enough to pursue with other children, with older children, and with other methodologies? This social science researcher says yes.
There are both positive and negative potential outcomes to children being more acceptable of that which they can not themselves prove.

What's silly is that this is considered a religion thread on DU. The first time it was posted it was locked by hosts and they'll be around to lock this one soon.

[hobbit709]

2. Most adults have the same difficulty.

[PowerToThePeople]

6. ^ this. n/t

[Gman]

3. A study with predetermined results

If they even did a study at all.

[randome]

4. The opposite is also true.

Raised to be fair and objective and skeptical, most kids (in my limited experience, of course) will choose to distance themselves from religion.

Just as when presented with a choice between Democracy and Communism, most will likely choose Democracy.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]I'm always right. When I'm wrong I admit it.
So then I'm right about being wrong.[/center][/font][hr]

[Prophet 451]

5. At that age, most kids have problems with that

I started to write a long response here but why bother? Those who dislike religion will grasp this as proving their point, those who believe will ignore it as it seems designed to elicit the found response.

[NightWatcher]

7. maybe explains why so many people believe such nonsense like CT's

Could it also explain why so many religious fundies are willing to buy into BS like Obama has fema camps and death panels? Mike Malloy hit on this last night. These people have been told since birth to believe fantastic stories with little sign of fact, so when someone they trust tells them Obama is a secret Kenyan come here to enslave white people, they think "he no more far fetched than one guy getting two of every animal into a big boat"???

[Warren Stupidity]

8. Interesting responses.

This story certainly has caused a lot of defensive reactions, from "they're children" (yes?) to "if they even did a study" (they did, it is documented, etc.).

[GeorgeGist]

9. People who believe an invisible spirit impregnated a woman ...

to create a son who would be crucified as payment for the sins of humans get kinda defensive when the absurdity of their beliefs is held up to the cold light of reason.

[rug]

11. Are there any more cliches you could have packed in that sentence?

[rug]

10. Good, then post the documentation, it's behind a paywall.

I take it you've read it. Surely you wouldn't make that claim on faith.

[Archae]

12. One of the main reasons religion is in decline here in the US...

It's BORING!

That's why movies based on Biblical stories end up needing to be "juiced up" with special effects, sex and violence.

Same old, same old, "Jesus said..."