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The Scientist in the Crib

What Early Learning Tells Us About the Mind

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The Scientist in the Crib

By: Alison Gopnik PhD, Andrew Meltzoff PhD, Patricia K. Kuhl PhD
Narrated by: Wendy Tremont King
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About this listen

This exciting book by three pioneers in the field of cognitive science discusses important discoveries about how much babies and young children know and learn, and how much parents naturally teach them. It argues that evolution designed us both to teach and learn, and that the drive to learn is our most important instinct. It also reveals fascinating insights about our adult capacities and how even young children - as well as adults - use some of the same methods that allow scientists to learn so much about the world. Filled with surprise at every turn, this vivid, lucid, and often funny book gives us a new view of the inner life of children and the mysteries of the mind.

©1999 Alison Gopnik, Andrew N. Meltzoff, and Patricia K. Kuhl (P)2019 Tantor Child Psychology Developmental Psychology Parenting & Families Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Relationships Funny Early Child Psychology
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Most relevant
This is a must read for any parent or anyone interested in developmental psychology. It makes complex ideas accessible with being patronising.

Excellent and Insightful

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More like a motivational speech to why babies are great without be very informative to people trying to learn developmental psychology. Comparing how babies love to learn to how people love sex didn't come across as a convincing joke and it was also overused.

Lacks logical sequence

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I am only one hour into this audible book, but I find it an excruciating experience to listen to. It is as if because for the simple reason that there is a picture of a baby on the front cover the reader has decided to use what I can only describe as a 'baby voice', not a voice a baby would have but one the voice and tone that a person would use when speaking to toddlers and newborns. Listening to it is painful for my brain to process what is the actual underlying message, even though that message is I'm sure very interesting and worth learning. While some audible books I have listened to have clearly cast a reader who for one reason or another suits the subject matter, this book clearly misses the mark.

Extremely painful to listen to

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