Kids Like Their Blankies
By Catherine Scullion
At some point everyone has been deafened by the anguished cries of a child searching for their security blanket. New research has found, quite unsurprisingly, that such items hold special significance for these distressed children.
The researchers took items from children and placed them in a ‘magic’ duplicating machine (an accomplice behind a screen with a load of similar toys) before asking the children which item they wanted.
Group leader Professor Hood was not shocked by the results; “When offered the choice of originals and copies, children showed no preference for [either the originals or] duplicates of their toys unless the object to be copied was the special one that they took to bed every night.
A quarter of children refused to have their favourite object copied at all, and most of those who were persuaded to put their toy in the copying machine wanted the original back.” The study was performed as a test of the idea that such objects hold a special ‘essence’ to children. Previously it was thought that these items were treasured as a means of providing comfort for those with needs not satisfied by a suck of the thumb.
Also implied was an insight into the children’s concept of ownership. A goblet was placed into the machine and six year olds asked to choose between it and a ‘copy.’ When they were told that the object belonged to royalty they consistently chose the original as having greater value.
Such a concept is not unique to children say the researchers. The prices of authentic artworks are considerably boosted by the idea that some of the ‘essence’ of the artist may be present in them and I’m sure we’ve all been put off by the thought of who has died in those charity shop wares.
The study is also a lesson to parents and babysitters – that stained rag may be repulsive to the wider world, but to at least one person it is inexplicably valuable.
More of Catherine's article are here.
The researchers took items from children and placed them in a ‘magic’ duplicating machine (an accomplice behind a screen with a load of similar toys) before asking the children which item they wanted.
Group leader Professor Hood was not shocked by the results; “When offered the choice of originals and copies, children showed no preference for [either the originals or] duplicates of their toys unless the object to be copied was the special one that they took to bed every night.
A quarter of children refused to have their favourite object copied at all, and most of those who were persuaded to put their toy in the copying machine wanted the original back.” The study was performed as a test of the idea that such objects hold a special ‘essence’ to children. Previously it was thought that these items were treasured as a means of providing comfort for those with needs not satisfied by a suck of the thumb.
Also implied was an insight into the children’s concept of ownership. A goblet was placed into the machine and six year olds asked to choose between it and a ‘copy.’ When they were told that the object belonged to royalty they consistently chose the original as having greater value.
Such a concept is not unique to children say the researchers. The prices of authentic artworks are considerably boosted by the idea that some of the ‘essence’ of the artist may be present in them and I’m sure we’ve all been put off by the thought of who has died in those charity shop wares.
The study is also a lesson to parents and babysitters – that stained rag may be repulsive to the wider world, but to at least one person it is inexplicably valuable.
More of Catherine's article are here.
Image: Warmfuzzys.net
Share this
