Abstract

We report evidence that children believe that pretend objects and entities should normally be represented as having their factual properties, and that pretense ought not contradict their general knowledge. Across two experiments, 3- and 4-year-olds spontaneously provided corrections and protested pretense scenarios in which animals produced sounds typical of a different species. Children rarely protested pretense in which animals made species-typical sounds or spoke in English. Children even provided protests and corrections when the experimenter signaled that the pretense might include unrealistic elements. These findings build on accounts claiming that children use their general knowledge to generate and interpret pretense, and show that they attach normative force to the content of pretend play. More generally, the findings advance knowledge of how children respond to information that is counter-intuitive and inconsistent with their expectations. 2017 APA, all rights reserved)