The development of coherence in narratives: Causal relations

Abstract

本研究藉由因果關係檢視漢語兒童敘事連貫能力的發展。研究對象包括: 五歲、九歲兒童及成人各三十位。我們以繪本Frog, where are you?為據，收集敘事語料；以Trabasso及Sperry（1985）的因果網路架構分析經轉寫編碼後的語料。研究結果顯示：隨其年齡增長，兒童會在敘事中建構更多因果連結，從而愈能掌握敘事連貫性。而因果網路架構不啻為量化敘事連貫性的另一選項。針對上述發現，研究者藉由工作記憶、溝通能力、認知偏好等面向進行探討，並提出後續研究的建議。This study explored Mandarin-speaking children’s ability in maintaining narrative coherence. Thirty Mandarin-speaking five-year-olds, 30 nine-year-olds and 30 adults participated. The narrative data were elicited using Frog, Where are You? Narrative coherence was assessed in terms of causal networks. The results displayed children’s developmental progress in achieving narrative coherence by establishing causal relations between narrative events. Results were considered in relation to discourse tendency and capacities for working memory. Narrators’ differences in communicative competence and cognitive preferences were also discussed.