Culture
Young children who haven't yet learned to speak already know how to joke, make friends and care about each other, according to a new study.
Scientists at Charles Sturt University in Australia have studied how children in kindergartens interact with each other using small cameras attached to children's heads.
This study suggests looking at the world through a child's eyes, where even simple objects like spoons appear big. The study found that children aged 6 to 18 months use sophisticated but subtle nonverbal means to make friends and make each other laugh.
“We were very surprised at how meaningful their social skills were, their ways of supporting each other and ensuring that other children were involved in the group,” said Jennifer Samsion (Jennifer Samsion) Sumsion), author of the study.
She explained that children interacted with each other through eye contact, gestures, and humor. They use small social games that you won't notice right away until you take a closer look at the kids.
For example, an example of this behavior was when children pretended to give another child a toy after picking it up at the last minute, or when two children sitting in chairs playfully moved their own bottles.
A one-year-old girl was also filmed trying to calm another child down when he was scared. The researchers analyzed the footage and did not force children to wear cameras all the time, attaching them for only 10-15 minutes. Experts hope that the study will shed light on what is happening in the secret world of children.