Scientific concept development in early childhood through the lens of “over-development”

Abstract

Conceptual development in the scientific domain begins early. This typically brings with it an “overthinking” in form of mis- and alternative conceptions. This study aims to examine more closely the emergence of scientific misconceptions by drawing on three other areas of early rule-based learning where overapplication of rules can be observed in early child development, namely overextension, over regularisation, and over imitation. Key similarities across the different domains of development showcase similar U-shaped trajectories but are seen as sophistication in children’s thought processes, evident through the extrapolation of rules. Age-related differences in when these trajectories emerge are considered, exploring how these developments do not necessarily occur in parallel but as a potential result of each other. Implications for educational practice are considered, given the observed interaction between linguistic and non-linguistic forms of overdevelopment. These focus particularly on the role of talk in formal and informal settings.

Keywords: Overconceptualisation; overextension; over regularisation; over imitation.