Children’s concepts of miracles

Jacqueline D. WoolleyThe University of Texas

Jean DunhamThe University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) Austin

“A marvelous event occurring within human experience, which cannot have been brought about by human power or by the operation of any natural agency, and must therefore be ascribed to the special intervention of a deity or of some supernatural being. An act exhibiting control over the laws of nature” (pp. 835-836). Oxford English Dictionary (1998)

Study 1: Questions addressedWhat do children’s miracle

concepts look like?Do children use the concept of

miracle as an explanatory tool?

HypothesesChildren will exhibit difficulty

believing in miracles as real-world present day possibilities.

Children will, in fact, believe in miracles to the same degree that adults do in their culture.

Interview questions (subset)

 

Have you ever heard of miracles?    What do you think a miracle is?   Have you ever seen a miracle?  Did miracles only happen a long time ago, or do they

sometimes happen today?  Does someone make miracles happen or do they just

happen? ◦ (If someone) Who makes miracles happen? ◦ (If God/Jesus) Can a miracle happen without God? ◦ Can someone else make a miracle? Who? ◦ Do you think you could make a miracle happen?

Could a miracle happen to you? If no, why not? If yes, can you give me an example of what kind?

Are miracles in real life or just in the Bible? 

Study 1: Interview ResultsGive example: 53% Biblical

miracle; 34% personal exampleHave you ever seen a miracle?

44% yesCan you make a miracle? 56%

yesCould a miracle happen to you?

92% yes

What is a miracle?An event that has a positive outcome

(30%)◦When something good happens and you’re

really glad something bad didn’t happen.”An unexpected or unusual outcome (25%)

◦“Something not intended to happen, a 1 out of 10 chance kind of thing.”

An event that is both positive and unexpected (22%)◦“Something good happened and you didn’t

know it could happen.”

Sample responses“When a prophet of God or Jesus

comes, and gets God’s help to do things normal people can’t do.”

“Luck happens by chance, but miracles happen for a reason.”

“Magic is spells and magicians; miracle is something good.”

Study 1: Story SetsViolation (vs. no violation)Alternative explanation (present

vs. absent)Involvement of prayer (vs. no

prayer)Economic status (rich vs. poor)Neediness (need vs. no need)

Sample story setViolation storiesNon-violation: This is Tony. Last week it was

mostly sunny where he lives, but one day it rained a little bit. There were a couple of clouds, and there was a little bit of rain, for about 5 minutes. He didn’t get any rain inside his house. All of his neighbors’ houses were totally dry, and so was his.

Violation: This is Brad. Last year his town was hit by a big storm. There was wind and rain and flooding everywhere. But you know what? Even though almost all the houses in the town got flooded with water, his house stayed totally dry.

Study 1: ResultsViolation stories

◦Violation– Brad’s house stays dry: (97%)

◦Non-violation – Tony’s house stays dry (22%)

Economic status◦Poor – Poor family gets car (83%)◦Rich – Rich family gets car (33%)

Study 2 Sample Story SetMundaneThis is Elizabeth. When she was little she got a dog named Jackson. He was

a great, fun dog, but when one day he got off his leash. He was loose for three hours and was running all around the neighborhood. By the time they caught him and put him in their car he was so tired he fell right asleep. When they got home to their house though, he woke up and he was fine! Elizabeth took Jackson into the back yard to play when she got home.

 ImprobableThis is Elizabeth. When she was little she got a dog named Jackson. He was

a great, fun dog, but when one day he got off his leash and got hit by a car. Her family took Jackson to the vet but the vet said he had serious internal injuries and probably wouldn’t live. Jackson stayed at the vet asleep for two whole weeks, and when he woke up he was fine! Elizabeth took Jackson into the back yard to play when she got home.

ImpossibleThis is Elizabeth. When she was little she got a dog named Jackson. He was

a great, fun dog, but when one day he got off his leash and got hit by a big truck. Her family took Jackson to the vet but the vet could not find a heartbeat, and so he told Elizabeth that Jackson was dead. The family decided to take Jackson home to bury him in the back yard. When they got home to their house though, he woke up and he was fine! Elizabeth took Jackson into the back yard to play when she got home.

Explanations from “other kids”Miracle – Riley said it was a miracle – that

God made it happen.Luck – Dakota said it was because

Elizabeth was a lucky person – she had really good luck that day.

Natural – Taylor said it was because all that sleeping made the dog better. (Explanation varied depending on the story.)

No explanation – Parker said that it’s really hard to explain; there’s no way to explain it.

Condition manipulationBible story condition – Children

heard two Bible stories and answered questions about them.

Non-Bible story condition – No Bible stories.

Explanation Ratings

Miracle Luck Natural No Explanation1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Explanation Type

Ratin

g

*

Explanation ratings by condition

Miracle Luck Natural No Explanation1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Bible StoriesNo Bible Stories

Explanation Type

Ratin

g

*

*

Explanation ratings by story-type

mundane improbable impossible1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

MiracleLuckNatural

*

*

*

*

* No Explanation

Rating

Best explanation

Miracle Luck Natural No Explanation0

1

2

3

4

5

6

*

Num

ber o

f tim

es c

hose

n ou

t of 6

tria

ls

Best explanation by religiosity

Miracle Luck Natural No Explanation0

1

2

3

4

5

6

HighLow

*

Num

ber o

f tim

es c

hose

n ou

t of 6

tria

ls

ConclusionsInterview: Miracles are simply

positive, low probability events.Explanations task:

◦Miracles violate natural laws.◦Children prefer natural explanations

for mundane and improbable events.◦Priming religion increased

endorsement of miracle explanation.◦Family religiosity affected

endorsement of miracle explanations.

AcknowledgementsThis research was supported in part by National

Institutes of Health (NICHD) Grant R01 HD 030300 to Jacqueline Woolley.

Many thanks to the staff, parents, and children of Saint Andrews Episcopal School.

Special thanks to Irene Rodriguez, without whom Study 2 wouldn’t exist.

Additional thanks to the undergraduate research assistants in my lab -- Christy Amador, Erin Andrews, Lily Choi, Mary Grady, Erik Herbst, Madelyn Hutson, Michelle Jackson, Melissa Leva, Monica Mendoza, Amanda Proctor, Chi Vu, and Becca Yasskin -- and to my graduate students -- Chelsea Cornelius, Gabe Lopez-Mobilia, and Brooke Miller.