Which statement best defines animism in early childhood development?

Which statement best defines animism in early childhood development?

• A. Animism is attributing lifelike qualities to inanimate objects.
• B. Conservation is the ability to understand changing shape but same amount.
• C. Egocentrism is seeing from own perspective.
• D. Object permanence is realizing objects exist even when unseen.

Answer: (A)

Animism in early childhood development is the tendency to attribute lifelike qualities to inanimate objects. In the preoperational stage, roughly ages 2 to 4, children explain the world with imagination and see things as having feelings, thoughts, or intentions. They might say a teddy bear is sad when left alone or that the sun is following them, which demonstrates this thinking. This explanation directly captures what animism means: giving life-like attributes to things that aren’t alive. The other statements describe different concepts—conservation is about understanding that quantity stays the same despite changes in shape, egocentrism is seeing things only from one’s own viewpoint, and object permanence is realizing that objects exist even when not seen. Those ideas are distinct from attributing life to objects, which is why the lifelike qualities statement is the best fit.

Animism in early childhood development is the tendency to attribute lifelike qualities to inanimate objects. In the preoperational stage, roughly ages 2 to 4, children explain the world with imagination and see things as having feelings, thoughts, or intentions. They might say a teddy bear is sad when left alone or that the sun is following them, which demonstrates this thinking.

This explanation directly captures what animism means: giving life-like attributes to things that aren’t alive. The other statements describe different concepts—conservation is about understanding that quantity stays the same despite changes in shape, egocentrism is seeing things only from one’s own viewpoint, and object permanence is realizing that objects exist even when not seen. Those ideas are distinct from attributing life to objects, which is why the lifelike qualities statement is the best fit.