On the validity and robustness of the scale error phenomenon in early childhood

Scale errors is a term referring to very young children's serious efforts to perform actions on miniature replica objects that are impossible due to great differences in the size of the child's body and the size of the target objects. We report three studies providing further documentation of scale errors and investigating the validity and robustness of the phenomenon. In the first, we establish that 2-year-olds’ behavior in response to prompts to “pretend” with miniature replica objects differs dramatically from scale errors. The second and third studies address the robustness of the phenomenon and its relative imperviousness to attempts to influence the rate of scale errors.

► In three experiments, we examined the validity and robustness of scale errors. ► In Experiment 1, two coders readily distinguished between scale errors and pretense. ► In Experiment 2, pointing out the size of objects did not decrease scale errors. ► In Experiment 3, priming children did not increase scale errors. ► Results show that scale errors are a real and robust phenomenon.