Profs and Pints Online presents: “What Children Believe,” a look at how young ones distinguish fantasy from reality during the holidays and other times of the year, with Jacqueline D. Woolley, professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and researcher of children’s development of faith and skepticism.

[This talk will remain available in recorded form at the link given here for tickets and access.]

Children spend a considerable amount of their time in a world in which reality and fantasy are intertwined. The storybooks and television shows geared toward them merge real and fantastical elements, as vividly demonstrated by the Dora the Explorer media franchise and the classic tales in which tornadoes, or rabbit holes, or looking glasses transport children into new realms. Children’s peers pretend one thing is another—anyone up for a game of “the floor is lava”?  Parents go to great lengths to promote their children’s belief in fantastical beings like the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus or in religious entities such as deities, angels, and spirits.

All of which raises a question: How do children decide what to believe?

Hear that question tackled in an online talk by Dr. Jacqueline Woolley, a psychologist who has spent more than 30 years studying children’s thought processes and is currently undertaking a large study of children’s developing concept of God.

She’ll discuss research showing that very young children actually have sophisticated tools for distinguishing fact from fiction, using a range of cues and strategies to make such decisions. With age, they increasingly use physical evidence, cues in peoples’ everyday conversations, and context to determine what’s real and what’s not. They tap into their existing knowledge and beliefs about both the world and people in it to draw conclusions about what’s real. Learning about the process of making the fantasy-reality distinction can reveal much about how we think.

Finally, she’ll offer some thoughts about belief in Santa and its potential effects. Her talk should offer both guidance and reassurance to those parents who are hanging stockings or leaving plates of cookies near the fireplace. It’s remarkable how well they know which cookies Santa likes. (Ticket:$12.)

Profs & Pints Online: What Children Believe