YC100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Cognitive Development, Ideal Type, Informed Consent
27 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Wednesday, January 24th, 2018
YC 100
Dr. Lei
Lecture 4: Studying Children- Part 1
Methodology: How do researchers conduct research with about children and childhood?
How do researchers gain access to kids world? (Corsaro)
● Advantages?
● Disadvantages?
● Limitations?
● “I am 11”: How did the interviewer gain access to the children?
Example: Imagine two girls playing in a sandbox. How do you, as a researcher begin interacting
with them? How do you gain their trust?
To gain their trust and enter “their world” (Corsaro)
1. Learn their names
2. Watch them for a couple of days (unobserved)
3. Never lie to the children
4. Size: get down to their level physically (speak eye to eye)
Limitations (Challenges of gaining trust)
● Language (Italian study): but children corrected “Big Bill”; they became “little teachers”
and laughed at his italian- he became the “incompetent adult”
● Discipline (Indianapolis Head Start): bathroom break- children wouldn’t listen to him
because “he wasn’t the teacher” (status)
● Age: Trust is easier with younger children than with older ones. Why?
● Size: camera lens- is it pointed down or up or at eye level in “I am 11?” Why?
Reading 12: Fine and Sandstorm
● Aims:
○ Learn about realistic uncensored behaviours of children
○ What different roles can researchers take when researching children and
childhood?
● Challenges of researching children:
○ Age differences (adults aren’t children)
○ One’s research subjects must be equal in status (at least for the purpose of the
interview- dignity, respect) but children “mute” the status lines. Why?
○ Cognitive development is vastly different
○ Physical maturity- physical size
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
How do researchers gain access to kids world? (corsaro) Example: imagine two girls playing in a sandbox. To gain their trust and enter their world (corsaro: learn their names, watch them for a couple of days (unobserved, never lie to the children, size: get down to their level physically (speak eye to eye) Language (italian study): but children corrected big bill ; they became little teachers and laughed at his italian- he became the incompetent adult . Discipline (indianapolis head start): bathroom break- children wouldn"t listen to him because he wasn"t the teacher (status) Age: trust is easier with younger children than with older ones. Learn about realistic uncensored behaviours of children. One"s research subjects must be equal in status (at least for the purpose of the interview- dignity, respect) but children mute the status lines. Result: child will behave in one while being observed; behave in another while not.
