The Development of Child Animism and Concepts of Life
Yun Joo Koh
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the view that animism is a result of immature concepts of life. Two studies were conducted for this purpose Study I examined developmental trends in animistic thinking and Study II examined children`s knowledge of living things. The subjects of Study I were 10 males and 10 females at each level, 6, 8, 11 and 14 years of age and university students, for a total of 100 subjects. The subjects of Study II were 9 boys and 9 girls at each age level, 6, 7 and 8 years of age and university students, for a total of 78 subjects. According to the results of study I and study II, animistic thinking decreased up to middle childhood but increased at later childhood and adulthood. The conception of living things was acquired at 7 years of age. All things considered, there was no evidence that animism is a result of immature concepts of life.
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