Investigating the development of causal inference by studying variability in 2- to 5-year-olds' behavior.

This study investigated the development of young children's causal inference by studying variability in behavior. Two possible sources of variability, strategy use and accuracy in strategy execution, were discriminated and related to age. To this end, a relatively wide range of causal inference trials was administered to children of a relatively broad age range: 2- to 5-year-olds.