Alison Gopnik: What do babies think?

Summary

In this enlightening talk, the speaker challenges the traditional view of babies as irrational beings, revealing how developmental science has shown that even infants possess profound cognitive abilities. Babies as young as 18 months demonstrate an understanding of individual preferences and a desire to help others, suggesting they learn complex social concepts at an astonishing rate. The speaker draws parallels between child development and the learning strategies of intelligent species, proposing that children's extended dependency is evolutionarily beneficial for learning and innovation. The talk concludes with a call for adults to embrace the learning mindset of children to foster creativity and open-mindedness.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Developmental science has revolutionized our understanding of babies' cognitive abilities over the past 20 years, revealing that they are far more capable than previously thought.
• 👶 Babies as young as 18 months can understand and respond to the preferences of others, even when those preferences differ from their own.
• 🥦 A study using broccoli and goldfish crackers demonstrated that 18-month-olds can discern and act upon the preferences of others, while 15-month-olds are still developing this understanding.
• 🕊️ The longer a species' childhood, the larger their brains relative to their bodies and the more intelligent and adaptable they tend to be, as illustrated by the comparison between crows and chickens.
• 👶🏻 Babies and young children are not just underdeveloped adults; they represent a distinct developmental stage with unique learning capabilities.
• 🧐 Babies have a 'lantern of consciousness' that allows them to take in a wide array of information, unlike adults who focus more narrowly like a 'spotlight'.
• 👧🏻 Children's play is a form of experimentation, allowing them to test hypotheses and learn about the world in a way that adults often overlook.
• 🤖 Babies may be using Bayesian probability theory, a fundamental concept in machine learning, to make complex calculations and revise their understanding of the world.
• 👀 Babies are more conscious than adults in a way that facilitates learning and exploration, taking in a broad spectrum of experiences and information.
• 🌟 To foster creativity and innovation, adults could benefit from adopting a mindset more akin to that of children, characterized by open-mindedness and curiosity.
• ☕ The feeling of being in love or experiencing a new place can offer adults a glimpse into the expansive consciousness of a child, akin to the effects of caffeine.

Q & A

What was the common belief about babies' cognitive abilities 30 years ago?

Thirty years ago, most people, including psychologists, believed that babies were irrational, illogical, egocentric, and incapable of understanding others' perspectives or cause and effect.

How has developmental science changed our understanding of babies' minds in the last 20 years?

In the last 20 years, developmental science has overturned the previous beliefs, showing that babies' thinking can be as profound as that of brilliant scientists, with the ability to understand others' perspectives and desires.

What role did broccoli play in the experiment to understand babies' understanding of others' preferences?

Broccoli was used in an experiment where researchers offered babies two bowls of food: one with raw broccoli and one with goldfish crackers. The researcher would act as if she liked or disliked each food, and babies were then asked to give her some food, revealing their understanding of her preferences.

What was the significant difference observed between 15-month-old and 18-month-old babies in the food preference experiment?

The 18-month-old babies were able to give the researcher the food she appeared to like, whether it was the crackers or the broccoli, showing an understanding of her preferences. In contrast, 15-month-olds, after staring at the researcher, would usually give her the crackers, suggesting they hadn't yet grasped the concept of differing preferences.

How does the length of a species' childhood relate to its intelligence and adaptability?

There is a relationship across various species where a longer childhood is associated with larger brains relative to body size, greater intelligence, and higher adaptability, as demonstrated by the comparison between New Caledonian crows and domestic chickens.

Why are human babies and children considered to be the 'research and development division' of our species?

Human babies and children are considered the 'research and development division' because they are in a protected phase of life where their primary task is to learn and explore, much like scientists. As adults, we apply the knowledge and skills learned during our childhood.

What is the connection between a species' childhood length and its ability to learn?

A longer childhood allows for more time to learn and adapt to various environments. This is evident in species like crows, which have a longer period of dependency and are more intelligent and adaptable than species like chickens, which mature quickly.

How do babies' brains differ from adult brains in terms of learning and plasticity?

Babies' brains are flooded with neurotransmitters that promote learning and plasticity, and they have not yet developed the inhibitory mechanisms that focus attention in adults. This makes babies' brains highly adaptable and capable of rapid learning.

What is the 'Blickey Detector' and how was it used in experiments to study children's learning?

The 'Blickey Detector' is a machine that lights up and plays music when certain objects are placed on it. It was used in experiments to demonstrate how effectively children can use evidence to form hypotheses and learn about the world, even when the correct hypothesis seems unlikely at first.

How do children's play and exploration relate to scientific experimentation?

Children's play and exploration are forms of experimental research. They test hypotheses, observe outcomes, and revise their understanding based on the evidence, similar to the scientific method used by researchers.

What is the proposed evolutionary advantage of having a long childhood for human beings?

The long childhood in humans provides an extended period for learning and adaptation, which is crucial for survival in diverse environments. It allows children to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive as adults, making them more intelligent and flexible.

How does the speaker suggest adults can benefit from thinking more like children?

The speaker suggests that adults can benefit from adopting the open-mindedness, curiosity, and creativity characteristic of children, especially in situations that require innovation and out-of-the-box thinking.