Cognitive processes as the basis of scientific thinking and reasoning in early and middle childhood

Abstract

According to Kuhn (2011), scientific reasoning refers to the ability of individuals to apply scientific procedures and ways of thinking in order to evaluate information and generate knowledge. In this paper, we highlight the relevance of the basic cognitive processes of induction, deduction, and abduction for scientific reasoning and argumentation. We review research on subdomains such as evidence evaluation, control of variable strategy, and argumentation in early and middle childhood. We conclude with the relationship between scientific reasoning and domain-specific knowledge as an iterative process of meaning construction.