The effects of symmetrical and asymmetrical social interaction on children's logical inferences

Abstract

We report an intervention experiment on the effects of social interaction on 4‐ and 5‐year‐old children's performance in a simple logical, inferential task. We found that children performing badly in a logical inferential task who then had the experience of cooperating with others more advanced than themselves did better in this task in a post‐test given three days later and in a further test given after a three‐week interval. We also found that children who had the experience of cooperating with others who had also performed badly (at the same level) in the pre‐test did not get better at making logical inferences. We conclude that social interaction between less and more advanced children enhances the less advanced children's ability to make logical inferences, and we argue that this is probably due to the effects of discussion and of agreement, rather than to social conflict, during the intervention period.