Non-anthropocentric Reasoning in Children: Its incidence when they are confronted with ecological dilemmas

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Antonio Almeida (Author) Other; Clara M Maria Vasconcelos (Author) FCUP; Orlando Strecht Ribeiro (Author) Other; Joana Torres (Author) Other

Journal

Title: International Journal of Science Education

Vol. 35

Pages: 312-334

ISSN: 0950-0693

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 14 Citations

Scopus - 15 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Social sciences > Educational sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-25V

DOI: 10.1080/09500693.2011.608387

Abstract (EN): This study used an individual structured interview to (1) verify the incidence of non-anthropocentric reasoning in 123 children attending the 3rd and 4th years in three primary schools in the Lisbon area (Portugal), when they are confronted with ecological dilemmas and (2) establish those places they frequented which permit animal contact. The results show a greater incidence of non-anthropocentric reasoning than that obtained in other international studies. This may be related to the focus of the questions asked, which invited children to imagine themselves as another animal or to present situations where human interaction is unfair. This incidence was found independently of gender, school origin and whether or not pets were owned, even with the more biologically complex animals. School year was the only variable proven to make a difference in conceptually more demanding questions. We also verified that the children's general past experience of nature is essentially aligned to controlled environments depending on ongoing human management, confirming a decline in direct contact with natural and semi-natural environments. However, this type of experience does not seem to exert a negative influence on their non-anthropocentric reasoning.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 23