(STUDY FINDS) – Playing with dolls can help children consider what other (real) people may say or feel – improving their social skills when they interact with others. Researchers from Cardiff University and King’s College London say they found increased activity in children’s brains within a region that supports emotional development after the youngsters played with dolls instead of tablets or mobile devices.
The results of this multi-year study reveal doll play led to children talking more about others’ thoughts and emotions. Scientists call this concept internal state language (ISL). Thirty-three children between the ages of four and eight took part in the study, which found that children displayed more ISL when playing with dolls than they did while using digital toys.
Study authors explain that internal state language allows kids to practice their social skills while they’re alone, making real word interactions smoother later on. Moreover, the team found increased brain activity in the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) region when children played with their dolls and spoke as though the toys had their own thoughts and feelings.
