Policeman Doll Study

• Aim

  To create a test that made more sense to children than Piaget's
• Method

  3.5 to 5 year olds were asked to hide a doll of a boy from two policeman dolls
• Results

  90% could hide the boy from the two policeman dolls. In more complex trials the younger children performed worse
• Conclusion

  The majority of 4 year olds aren't egocentric. Piaget underestimated the children's abilities - but was right to say that thinking changes with age
• Strength


  The task made better sense to children so the results may be more valid than Piaget's
• Weakness


  The researcher possibly gave off unconscious cues which may have influenced the children's behaviour, so the results could lack validity