Influence of parents on the scientific thinking of their children: new knowledge from the study of the University of Vechta

Influence of parents on the scientific thinking of their children: new knowledge from the study of the University of Vechta

The formative role of parents in their children's scientific thinking

children are shaped by their parents, this is not a new knowledge. However, a current study by the University of Vechta has shown that parents also have a significant impact on the scientific thinking of their children. This aspect has so far been attributed to the educational institutions, but now shows that parental attitudes and beliefs play a major role.

The study, under the direction of Christopher Osterhaus, junior professor of developmental psychology, appeared in the renowned magazine Developmental Science. She examined 161 primary school children over a period of five years. The focus was not only on the scientific thinking skills of the children, but also the level of education of the parents, their socio -economic status and their beliefs and attitudes.

The realization was particularly interesting that the parental attitudes had a strong influence on the development of the children's scientific thinking - and even independently of the formation of parents and the cognitive skills of the children. Children whose parents had an understanding of the changeability of knowledge and its dependence on social and cultural conditions performed better in the tests.

Osterhaus emphasized the importance of these results for parents and legal guardians. It's not just about what children learn at school, but also about which environment they have at home. A supporting environment could significantly strengthen the scientific thinking skills of the children and create a solid basis for lifelong learning and success in the 21st century.

The study is also intended to highlight the value of a supporting environment for the research of children at home. Osterhaus is already planning further studies to find out whether similar results also occur in other cultural and socio -economic contexts. Because the scientific thinking of children is of great importance for the challenges of modern society. - nag