Korean J Child Stud. 1988; 9(1): 19-32.

The Development of Child Animism and Concepts of Life

아동 물활론의 발달과 생명개념

고윤주

Yun Joo Koh

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.