Preschoolers’ Recognition of the Transmission of the COVID-19 Virus: A Pilot Study

Abstract

The following two studies examined preschoolers’ recognition of the transmission of COVID and the cold virus.  Study 1 examined preschoolers’ recognition of the impact of symptomatic and asymptomatic conditions without social distancing in the transmission of the COVID virus. Study 2 examined the role of social distancing in the transmission of the cold virus. Results of Study 1 indicated that preschoolers recognize the transmission of the COVID virus both in the symptomatic and asymptomatic conditions. Study 2 demonstrated that preschoolers take into account the proximity factor when assessing the probability of the transmission of the common cold. The results of both of these studies strongly support the theory that children have an autonomous theory of biology in the preschool years.