How Children Imagine What Could Have Happened

For children aged 6 or 8 years only (excluding 7-year-olds)

This study will take place on a video call, live with a researcher! Clicking on the “Schedule a time to participate” button will send you to an online calendar where you can select a date and time that works for you. In this study, your child will listen to a variety of stories about everyday events that did or did not happen, like celebrations, school-related activities, and social events. Then, they will complete two problem-solving activities that involve considering different outcomes and making choices. Before the study session, you will receive an online consent form and brief demographic survey, which you will need to fill out before participation.

This study aims to explore whether exposure to counterfactual stories enhances children’s problem-solving abilities and if the emotional tone (positive versus negative) of the stories influences this effect. Counterfactual stories involve imagining “what might have been” in relation to past events. Previous research indicates that exposure to these scenarios helps adults broaden their imagination by considering alternative outcomes, thereby enhancing their ability to identify solutions in problem-solving contexts. We seek to determine if similar benefits are observed in children. Our findings will provide insights into how counterfactuals can be leveraged to support children’s problem-solving development and cognitive growth.

20 minutes

For families residing in Canada, you will receive a $5 gift card to Indigo after participation. For families residing in the United States, you will receive a $5 gift card to Amazon.com after participation. To be eligible for compensation, you must meet all of the following criteria: (1) Your child falls within the specified age range for this study, (2) you provide recorded verbal consent, and (3) your child has a minimum of 75% exposure to English in their daily lives. Each child is eligible to participate to receive a gift card only once; participants cannot do the study more than once for compensation. You will receive your gift card via email within 1-10 business days after participation.