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Students' Reasons for Preferring Teleological Explanations

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Title: Students' Reasons for Preferring Teleological Explanations
Language: English
Authors: Trommler, Friederike (ORCID 0000-0002-7243-7477), Gresch, Helge (ORCID 0000-0002-9641-3939), Hammann, Marcus
Source: International Journal of Science Education. 2018 40(2):159-187.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 29
Publication Date: 2018
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: High Schools
Descriptors: Student Attitudes, Etiology, Preferences, High School Students, Biology, Familiarity, Attribution Theory, Interviews, Task Analysis, Foreign Countries, Science Instruction, Inferences, Thinking Skills, Educational Practices, Questionnaires, Statistical Analysis
Geographic Terms: Germany
DOI: 10.1080/09500693.2017.1404658
ISSN: 0950-0693
Abstract: The teleological bias, a major learning obstacle, involves explaining biological phenomena in terms of purposes and goals. To probe the teleological bias, researchers have used acceptance judgement tasks and preference judgement tasks. In the present study, such tasks were used with German high school students (N = 353) for 10 phenomena from human biology, that were explained both teleologically and causally. A sub-sample (n = 26) was interviewed about the reasons for their preferences. The results showed that the students favoured teleological explanations over causal explanations. Although the students explained their preference judgements etiologically (i.e. teleologically and causally), they also referred to a wide range of non-etiological criteria (i.e. familiarity, complexity, relevance and five more criteria). When elaborating on their preference for causal explanations, the students often focused not on the causality of the phenomenon, but on mechanisms whose complexity they found attractive. When explaining their preference for teleological explanations, they often focused not teleologically on purposes and goals, but rather on functions, which they found familiar and relevant. Generally, students' preference judgments rarely allowed for making inferences about causal reasoning and teleological reasoning, an issue that is controversial in the literature. Given that students were largely unaware of causality and teleology, their attention must be directed towards distinguishing between etiological and non-etiological reasoning. Implications for educational practice as well as for future research are discussed.
Abstractor: As Provided
Number of References: 65
Entry Date: 2018
Accession Number: EJ1165269
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Students' Reasons for Preferring Teleological Explanations
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Trommler%2C+Friederike%22">Trommler, Friederike</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7243-7477">0000-0002-7243-7477</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gresch%2C+Helge%22">Gresch, Helge</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9641-3939">0000-0002-9641-3939</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hammann%2C+Marcus%22">Hammann, Marcus</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Science+Education%22"><i>International Journal of Science Education</i></searchLink>. 2018 40(2):159-187.
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
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  Data: 29
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  Label: Publication Date
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  Data: 2018
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Etiology%22">Etiology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preferences%22">Preferences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+School+Students%22">High School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biology%22">Biology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Familiarity%22">Familiarity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attribution+Theory%22">Attribution Theory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interviews%22">Interviews</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Task+Analysis%22">Task Analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Instruction%22">Science Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Inferences%22">Inferences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thinking+Skills%22">Thinking Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Practices%22">Educational Practices</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Questionnaires%22">Questionnaires</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistical+Analysis%22">Statistical Analysis</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Germany%22">Germany</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
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  Data: 10.1080/09500693.2017.1404658
– Name: ISSN
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  Data: 0950-0693
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The teleological bias, a major learning obstacle, involves explaining biological phenomena in terms of purposes and goals. To probe the teleological bias, researchers have used acceptance judgement tasks and preference judgement tasks. In the present study, such tasks were used with German high school students (N = 353) for 10 phenomena from human biology, that were explained both teleologically and causally. A sub-sample (n = 26) was interviewed about the reasons for their preferences. The results showed that the students favoured teleological explanations over causal explanations. Although the students explained their preference judgements etiologically (i.e. teleologically and causally), they also referred to a wide range of non-etiological criteria (i.e. familiarity, complexity, relevance and five more criteria). When elaborating on their preference for causal explanations, the students often focused not on the causality of the phenomenon, but on mechanisms whose complexity they found attractive. When explaining their preference for teleological explanations, they often focused not teleologically on purposes and goals, but rather on functions, which they found familiar and relevant. Generally, students' preference judgments rarely allowed for making inferences about causal reasoning and teleological reasoning, an issue that is controversial in the literature. Given that students were largely unaware of causality and teleology, their attention must be directed towards distinguishing between etiological and non-etiological reasoning. Implications for educational practice as well as for future research are discussed.
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  Label: Abstractor
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 65
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
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  Data: 2018
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  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1165269
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1165269
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      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Etiology
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      – TitleFull: Students' Reasons for Preferring Teleological Explanations
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