PROBLEM 6: MISCONCEPTIONS
MENTAL MODELS IN CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT ( VOSNIADOU)
It is assumed that children’s theories are different from scientific theories because children’s theories lack
many important characteristics of scientific theories, such as, their systematically, abstractness, and
social/institutional nature. In addition, it appears that children lack meta-conceptual awareness of their
theories, do not make the explicit distinction between theory and evidence, and do not understand how
theories guide the hypothesis testing process. However, by the end of the first year, infants understand how
physical causation works and appreciate the differences between psychological and physical causality;
framework theories. Specific theories are embedded within framework theories and are constrained by
them. For example, research with preschool and elementary school children has shown that young children
categorize the earth as a physical object (rather than as an astronomical object) and apply to it all the
properties of physical objects.
Models are important in science because they can be used to help in the construct theories. They are the
sources of both predictive and explanatory power and can be used to suggest new hypotheses and aid in
scientific discovery. Mental models are defined as a form of mental representation that preserves the
structure of that which it represents. They are important for generating predictions and explanations. The
function of mental models are:
Mental models as aids in the construction of explanations: Mental models can help people to draw
on implicit physical knowledge that can be then used to answer questions, solve problems, etc. By
doing so, the implicit knowledge becomes explicit and conceptual. Example, drawing C from pre-
discussion.
Mental models as mediators in the interpretation and acquisition of new information: It appears that
on the one hand mental models are constrained by prior beliefs and presuppositions and on the
other, once formed, they themselves act as constraints on the way the new information that enters
the conceptual system is interpreted. For example, children drew the earth in a way that the sun
would be up and the moon would be down from earth. They interpreted that earth made an up/down
rotation to explain how night and day appear. They don’t consider the sun or moon to come from
east to west because they see that the sun comes from “down the earth”.
Mental models as tools that allow experimentation and theory revision: misconceptions are often
creative solutions to the problem of incorporating theoretically inconsistent information into the
knowledge base. They demonstrate the constructive nature of human cognition, and are important
mediators in the process of conceptual change.
Mental models play an important role in conceptual development and conceptual change, because they are
not, completely, determined neither by data nor by theory. They retain a degree of independence that is
responsible for the fact that they can function in ways that promote theory development.
CONSTRUCTION OF MENTAL MODELS OF THE EARTH
1. Initial models: the child doesn’t know that the earth is round
a. Rectangular earth: the earth has a flat rectangular form
b. Disc earth: the earth has a flat-disk rectangular form
2. Synthetic models: children start hearing that the earth is round so they ASSIMILATE the information
MENTAL MODELS IN CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT ( VOSNIADOU)
It is assumed that children’s theories are different from scientific theories because children’s theories lack
many important characteristics of scientific theories, such as, their systematically, abstractness, and
social/institutional nature. In addition, it appears that children lack meta-conceptual awareness of their
theories, do not make the explicit distinction between theory and evidence, and do not understand how
theories guide the hypothesis testing process. However, by the end of the first year, infants understand how
physical causation works and appreciate the differences between psychological and physical causality;
framework theories. Specific theories are embedded within framework theories and are constrained by
them. For example, research with preschool and elementary school children has shown that young children
categorize the earth as a physical object (rather than as an astronomical object) and apply to it all the
properties of physical objects.
Models are important in science because they can be used to help in the construct theories. They are the
sources of both predictive and explanatory power and can be used to suggest new hypotheses and aid in
scientific discovery. Mental models are defined as a form of mental representation that preserves the
structure of that which it represents. They are important for generating predictions and explanations. The
function of mental models are:
Mental models as aids in the construction of explanations: Mental models can help people to draw
on implicit physical knowledge that can be then used to answer questions, solve problems, etc. By
doing so, the implicit knowledge becomes explicit and conceptual. Example, drawing C from pre-
discussion.
Mental models as mediators in the interpretation and acquisition of new information: It appears that
on the one hand mental models are constrained by prior beliefs and presuppositions and on the
other, once formed, they themselves act as constraints on the way the new information that enters
the conceptual system is interpreted. For example, children drew the earth in a way that the sun
would be up and the moon would be down from earth. They interpreted that earth made an up/down
rotation to explain how night and day appear. They don’t consider the sun or moon to come from
east to west because they see that the sun comes from “down the earth”.
Mental models as tools that allow experimentation and theory revision: misconceptions are often
creative solutions to the problem of incorporating theoretically inconsistent information into the
knowledge base. They demonstrate the constructive nature of human cognition, and are important
mediators in the process of conceptual change.
Mental models play an important role in conceptual development and conceptual change, because they are
not, completely, determined neither by data nor by theory. They retain a degree of independence that is
responsible for the fact that they can function in ways that promote theory development.
CONSTRUCTION OF MENTAL MODELS OF THE EARTH
1. Initial models: the child doesn’t know that the earth is round
a. Rectangular earth: the earth has a flat rectangular form
b. Disc earth: the earth has a flat-disk rectangular form
2. Synthetic models: children start hearing that the earth is round so they ASSIMILATE the information
