Children learn as much, whether they are attentive or not, because their brain treats information without distinction, unlike adults who filter it much more.
- A study reveals that children learn as much, whether they are attentive or not, unlike adults who filter their learning according to their objectives.
- The researchers tested children and adults on drawings in two scenarios: pay attention or ignore the images. Children learned in both cases, thanks to a brain absorbing all the information – a mechanism that explains their ease of learning languages.
- These results underline the importance of the game and immersive experiences for children, while for adults, clear objectives improve learning.
“Do not get angry with this little boy who jumps on the bed while you read a story, explains Amy Finn, professor of psychology at the University of Toronto (Canada). He probably listens and learns all the same, even if it does not seem easy. “ In a study published in the journal Psychological Sciencethe researcher says that, unlike adults, children absorb the information they listen to even without focusing on her. In other words, they learn both, whether they are attentive or not.
A unique faculty in children
Research shows that children’s selective attention, that is to say their ability to ignore distractions to concentrate, develops slowly and is not fully mature until adulthood. To test this hypothesis, Finn and his team of researchers called on children and adults to assess their learning after seeing drawings of common objects in two scenarios: in the first, they had to pay attention to the drawings, while In the second, they were invited to ignore these drawings to focus on another task. Then, all had to quickly identify fragments of the drawings presented.
Result, the children learned both in both scenarios, while adults only retained what they had been invited to concentrate, according to a press release. This difference is explained by the fact that the brain of children treats information without distinction, whether it is deemed important or not. A mechanism that promotes, for example, their ability to learn several languages.
Implications for children’s education
These discoveries open up interesting prospects for parents, teachers and school programs. For children, they underline the importance of learning through play and immersive experiences: the little ones naturally absorb information when they explore and interact with their environment, without needing forced concentration. For adults, however, the clarity of learning objectives is essential. Define priorities from the start of a learning session or training optimizes information retention.
This study invites us to reconsider our expectations for children, recognizing their unique way of learning while adapting our methods to the different needs of adults. “Now, when I am with my five -year -old son, I am less concerned if he learns even if he does not seem to pay attention”says Amy Finn.
