Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Are fairies real? Does God eat? – these are some of the questions children will be asked as part of a new study examining how beliefs develop.
Participants are needed for the research being carried out by the University of Nottingham’s School of Psychology, which aims to understand how children come to believe in things they have never seen, such as religious beings (like God, Allah and angels) or scientific things (like germs).
Children between the ages of 4-10 years are being invited to take part in the study that will involve being interviewed with a caregiver and completing a questionnaire once a year for three years. These interviews can take place online or at the University, over the holidays, weekends or at the end of a school day. The interviews will be directed by a researcher with the parent present.
Children have a unique understanding of the world, and we are interested in finding out how they discover what makes people who they are and what makes a particular action right or wrong. Through a carefully designed set of survey questions and a directed interview, we will explore with the child what they think about things like religion and science and try to understand how their beliefs are formed and what may influence them. We are interested to recruit families who are Christian, Muslim or have no faith.
The developing belief research is international, cross cultural and collaborative and is taking place in over 16 countries worldwide, investigating the similarities and differences across 50 different cultures.
Each family who completes full participation will receive £20 Amazon vouchers as a thank you and the responses of children will be kept strictly confidential.
Joanna adds: “We are excited to be involved with this important study as belief development is a relatively unknown area of child development. The results will help us understand how children come to believe in things they cannot see. Consequently, this research will inform our knowledge concerning a variety of areas of life, from religion to world health and through to scientific and social understanding.”
To find out more or to apply email: Joanna.stephens4@nottingham.ac.uk
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More information is available from Joanna Stephens on Joanna.stephens4@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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