When toddlers got a toy from a machine they knew contained 'blicks', they were unsurprised and often forgot its name, showcasing how familiarity leads to lack of retention. However, when they received a 'blick' from a machine that seemed to have none, their surprise boosted learning, showing how unexpected events enhance memory retention in children.
The surprise of receiving a 'blick' from a seemingly empty machine triggers wide eyes and dropped jaws in toddlers, demonstrating the powerful impact of the unexpected on young children's cognitive engagement.
Feigenson emphasizes, 'There was this really big learning boost for kids who had seen the impossible event,' highlighting how encountering the unimaginable can lead to significant cognitive advancements at a young age.
Andrew Shtulman notes that the findings support the idea that encountering unexpected events compels children to pay greater attention, which enhances memory encoding and retention.
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