When do children exhibit a "yes" bias?

Child Dev. 2010 Mar-Apr;81(2):568-80. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01416.x.

Abstract

This study investigated whether one hundred and thirty-five 3- to 6-year-old children exhibit a yes bias to various yes-no questions and whether their knowledge status affects the production of a yes bias. Three-year-olds exhibited a yes bias to all yes-no questions such as preference-object and knowledge-object questions pertaining to objects, and knowledge-face questions pertaining to facial expressions. Four-year-olds tended to say "yes" only to knowledge-object questions. Five-year-olds did not show any strong response tendency. Six-year-olds exhibited a nay-saying bias to knowledge-face questions. Also, 3-year-olds could indicate the correct option when asked questions with 2 response options. It suggested that 3-year-olds tended to inappropriately say "yes" to yes-no questions, although they knew the answers to the questions. The mechanism of a yes bias was discussed.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Child, Preschool
  • Choice Behavior
  • Comprehension*
  • Concept Formation*
  • Cross-Cultural Comparison
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Interview, Psychological
  • Japan
  • Language Development*
  • Male
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual*
  • Semantics*
  • Stereotyped Behavior*
  • Verbal Behavior*