US EditionPublished • loading... • Updated
Dolls, Not Tablets, Shine in Teaching Vital Skills to Children, Study Reveals
Cardiff University researchers found doll play boosts emotion-expressive language and social skills in children aged 4 to 8, aiding theory of mind development over six weeks.
- Cardiff University researchers found that children ages 4-8 who played with dolls showed better improvement in "false-belief understanding" than those using tablets, highlighting how doll play fosters vital social skills.
- During the six-week trial, 81 children from South Wales were randomly assigned to play with Barbie and Ken dolls or open-ended tablet games to monitor how different play types influenced cognitive development.
- Unlike tablet users, doll players often involved friends, siblings, and parents; Dr. Sarah Gerson of Cardiff University said doll play encourages children to "engage in social interactions more" and practice emotion regulation.
- Researchers measured progress using the "Sally Anne" task, which tests a child's grasp of "false belief," a cornerstone of "theory of mind" that helps children understand others may hold incorrect beliefs.
- The Pew Research Center found that 81% of children ages 5-7 interact with tablets; as screen time becomes common, these findings offer parents insights into balancing digital use with other play activities.
Insights by Ground AI
11 Articles
11 Articles
Dolls beat tablets at building social understanding, six-week study suggests
Research by Cardiff University has found that playing with Barbie dolls can help reach key milestones in developing empathy and social understanding during childhood. Doll play was found to be beneficial for both boys and girls, and is particularly valuable for those experiencing problems with their peers. The work appears in PLOS One.
·United Kingdom
Read Full ArticleCoverage Details
Total News Sources11
Leaning Left1Leaning Right0Center9Last UpdatedBias Distribution90% Center
Bias Distribution
- 90% of the sources are Center
90% Center
C 90%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
