Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Research Shows Toddlers Know the Difference Between a Leader and a Bully. A Real Story




I must admit that during my time, I've seen some creative studies. Many of them appear, on the surface, to someone such as myself as pointless. I may not be a man of science, but I do struggle to see the value in analyzing toddlers to see if they know the difference between when someone is behaving like a bully, and when someone is being a leader. What would you do with such information?

“I think you are acting like a bully.”
“Nonsense, I'm making difficult decisions associated with being a leader.”
“Let's ask Tommy.”
“Why would we ask your toddler?”
“He's watched cartoon characters and knows the difference.'
“Oh.”

Below are excerpts from the story with my valuable insights in italics.


Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne analyzed the eye-gazing behaviors of 21-month-old toddlers — one of the standard ways to measure expectations in children too young to communicate their feelings — while watching various cartoon characters. The so-called “violation-of-expectation” method is based on the observation that infants stare longer at events that contradict their expectations.

(Sarcasm Alert)

I suppose we are to believe that human beings too young to communicate their feelings can be a wealth of knowledge. Who needs to be able to communicate feeling when your eye-gazing behaviors can be easily measured to identify your feelings. This, of course, is based on viewing cartoon characters. I assume this may involve seeing the politicians in Washington DC as many adults confuse them as cartoon characters. A research method has been developed that involves infants staring longer at events that contradict their expectations. I'm certain many other things are taken into consideration before determining a toddler's feelings. They could be toddlers staring who are relieving themselves in their diapers, being fascinated by a bug on the screen and more.


The researchers detected a violation of the children’s expectations when the protagonists in the cartoon disobeyed an order given by the leader character, but not when an order given by the bully character was ignored. Results were consistent in a second experiment where differences in appearance between the leader and the bully were removed. In a third leg of the study, researchers tested whether the likability of the other characters influenced the toddlers by having the leaders leave

I wonder what cartoons were they using? Was it Sponge Bob Square Pants?, Steven Universe or maybe Ricky and Morty? I find it interesting these researchers were able to get cartoons to meet the expectations of children who could not communicate.

“Do do ma cat, me.”
It's obvious the toddler is experiencing the intense feelings created by the protagonist disobeying an order.”
“Wah, waaaaaahh, ahhhh.”
“The toddlers didn't like the appearance between the bully and leader being taken away.”
“Ma, ga, cat, go, go, no, waaah.”
“I can see the toddler is being influenced by the leader no longer being in the cartoon.”

All of a sudden all of the toddlers in the experiment are quiet.

“I suppose their expectations for cartoons have been met."
“No, their expectations for the need to be changed and fed have been met. I'm glad the aroma coming from their diaper isn't included in determining they're feelings. They would seem to hate everything.
“I think you're right..”



“Finally, when the likable character left, the infants expected the protagonists to disobey, most likely because the character held no power over them,” she adds.
The authors say the study confirms previous research showing that infants can recognize the power difference between two or more characters.

There have been previous studies? Other people have been paid to watch toddlers pay attention when cartoons are played? What a great job. I bet you could say anything about what the toddlers are doing and nobody could challenge you.

“Do, me, juice, cat, num, tree.”
“It is obvious the toddler feels the torment of the good and kind cartoon character dealing with the mean bully who is constantly outsmarting him. I can sense the toddler's struggle.”
“Ga, ja, foo, me, nana.”
The emotional struggle within these toddlers has reached a high level. We may have to stop the cartoons. It could be too much for them.”
“It's amazing how you know exactly what the toddlers are feeling.”
“What is even more amazing is how people believe I know exactly what the toddlers are feeling. I'm a researcher. People seem to believe I know what toddlers are feeling and the toddlers aren't able to say I'm wrong.”
“Oh.”

“Infants understand that with leaders, you have to obey them even when they are not around; with bullies, though, you have to obey them only when they are around.”


This isn't about leaders and bullies. This is about police and teenagers with their parents. You have to obey the police even when they're not around. Teenagers usually only obey their parents when they are around. Maybe these findings could help with future research when the toddlers become teenagers.

It's possible my blog article about it could inspire these researchers to perform other groundbreaking studies such as how toddlers know the difference between the food they like and don't like and why they make funny faces right before they fill their diapers or pass gas. I may not be a man of science, but I'm always willing to help.

Below is a link to the article







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