Pre-decisional Information Search in 2– to 4- Year-Olds: Young Children Select the Relevant Cues When Looking for a Hidden Reward

A growing body of research has investigated the emergence and developmental trajectory of children’s information search abilities. In this paper, we examine the capacity of 2- to 4-year-olds to identify and select the most informative cue among several options when searching for a hidden reward—a common task in decision-making research where young children have traditionally struggled. Across two experiments—including a preregistered replication—we tested 111 children (56 female) aged 24 to 59 months using a simplified version of Lindow’s (2021) finding-presents game. Children were presented with three cue cards (e.g., color, shape, icon) to determine which box contained a hidden present. Because only one feature differentiated the target box (for example, all boxes were blue and had a sticker on top, but varied in shape), only one cue card provided informative guidance. The children’s choices of cue cards served as the primary dependent measure. In Experiment 1, children aged 2 to 4 selected the relevant cue card at rates significantly above chance. Experiment 2 focused specifically on 2-year-olds and demonstrated that their choices were not driven by a saliency heuristic. Together, these findings reveal the early emergence of pre-decisional information search abilities in preschoolers and introduce a straightforward, effective paradigm for assessing early information-seeking skills.