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Cats, Bats, and People: Cultivating Children's Understanding of Genes and Trait Inheritance.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Cats, Bats, and People: Cultivating Children's Understanding of Genes and Trait Inheritance.
Authors: Combette, Léa Tân (AUTHOR), Emmons, Natalie A (AUTHOR), Elster, Eli (AUTHOR), Kelemen, Deborah (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Cognition & Development. 2026, Vol. 27 Issue 2, p252-280. 29p.
Subjects: Heredity, Natural selection, Early childhood education, Science education, Molecular genetics
Geographic Terms: United States
Abstract: In the United States, children typically learn about genetics during adolescence, despite early misconceptions about parental resemblance. This study explores whether U.S. 7- and 8-year-olds can construct a basic biological understanding of the role of genes in trait inheritance through a storybook-based intervention. Study 1 results indicate that second-graders can develop a basic yet mechanistically nuanced biological understanding of physical-trait inheritance, distinguishing genetic from intentional and environmental causal factors, and generalizing this knowledge to other species including humans. These children therefore show no tendencies to treat people as biologically exceptional—a tendency shown by many U.S. adults. Study 2 confirms that this kind of early biological-causal learning is reproducible in U.S. urban classroom settings and reveals how acquiring a non-intentional understanding of inheritance helps children reject teleological ideas about an individual's traits in ways that are relevant for learning about natural selection. The findings provide initial evidence that introducing an abstract theory of genetic inheritance in early elementary school is viable and lays a foundation for engaging with other fundamental but complex biological mechanisms and for critical thinking about scientific and societal issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Description
Abstract:In the United States, children typically learn about genetics during adolescence, despite early misconceptions about parental resemblance. This study explores whether U.S. 7- and 8-year-olds can construct a basic biological understanding of the role of genes in trait inheritance through a storybook-based intervention. Study 1 results indicate that second-graders can develop a basic yet mechanistically nuanced biological understanding of physical-trait inheritance, distinguishing genetic from intentional and environmental causal factors, and generalizing this knowledge to other species including humans. These children therefore show no tendencies to treat people as biologically exceptional—a tendency shown by many U.S. adults. Study 2 confirms that this kind of early biological-causal learning is reproducible in U.S. urban classroom settings and reveals how acquiring a non-intentional understanding of inheritance helps children reject teleological ideas about an individual's traits in ways that are relevant for learning about natural selection. The findings provide initial evidence that introducing an abstract theory of genetic inheritance in early elementary school is viable and lays a foundation for engaging with other fundamental but complex biological mechanisms and for critical thinking about scientific and societal issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:15248372
DOI:10.1080/15248372.2025.2541734