Sometimes we learn important lessons when we see the world through the eyes of a child. This study reveals one of those times. Researchers conducted two experiments with children between four-years-old and eleven-years-old (111 in the first study and 118 in the second).

In the first study, two adults of the same gender answered questions about an ambiguous object (such as one that could either be a sponge or a rock) or an ambiguous word (like “bat” that could be sport’s equipment or a flying animal). Questions included what the adults thought it was, how sure they were about their identification of it, and if it might be something else.

One of the two adults, the “humble person,” said they were “pretty sure” about the identity of the object or word but that it “could be something else.” The “arrogant person” reported that they were “definitely right” and it couldn’t be otherwise.

The children were then asked who they thought was smarter and nicer, who they liked more, and who they would like to learn from.

In the second experiment, the ambiguous objects and words were replaced by nonsensical ones, things that didn’t exist in real life. Beyond this, the experiment proceeded exactly the same as the first.

The results revealed that children under 5 1/2-years-old showed no preference between the “humble” and the “arrogant” person. However, beginning at 5 1/2-years-old and increasing as the child aged, they preferred the “humble” person. Children 5 1/2-years-old and up preferred the humble, questioning adults to the arrogant, certain ones. They thought the “humble person” was smarter and nicer and that was the person they preferred to learn from. It seems that “being accurate matters to children, but humility does as well.”

Seeing the value of humility in the eyes of children can teach us a couple of important lessons.

• Our children are teaching us the importance of growing in “intellectual humility,” a willingness to learn and adjust our beliefs when evidence proves it necessary. as we grow in “intellectual humility” we can become our children’s preferred teacher. They will learn better from us when we approach with “humility.”
• Our children are also teaching us who to trust. In their naivete, our children trust those who exhibit an “intellectual humility,” an openness to possibilities and a willingness to learn. Perhaps we need to look for that in other people as well. Those with intellectual humility are those in whom we can put our trust, as opposed to those who rigidly refuse to adjust their knowledge to the growing reality around them. We can put our trust in those who are willing to learn and willing to adjust their beliefs when evidence proves it necessary.

Children are amazing. They “say the darndest things.” They also see the most profound things. Perhaps we can learn a thing or two by beginning to see the world with the eyes of a child. It’s a gift they give us…and we’d do well to humble take the opportunity to learn from their wisdom.