Children’s ideas concerning natural phenomena often differ from those of scientists, and these ideas are
termed as alternative conceptions. The prevalence of alternative conceptions is highest among young
children who possess less experience with the natural world as compared with adults. Children’s ideas
about micro-organisms are of special importance, because an improved awareness of them may reduce
risk of contamination by pathogenic infection. We investigate in this paper how individual differences in
vulnerability to disease influence expressions of conceptions regarding micro-organisms amongst kindergarten
children. More disease-vulnerable children drew smaller micro-organisms and used darker colours
when drawing them compared to their healthier counterparts. The children’s drawings were not
influenced by gender differences. Interviews showed that all the children knew that micro-organisms are
somewhere in the human body and that their placement in all probability reflects their own experiences
with disease. Perhaps surprisingly, hands were one of the least frequently cited sources of microorganisms
which may reflect low awareness on the part of children regarding threats from potentially
pathogenic bacteria. These results support the universality of children’s conceptions regarding
micro-organisms and suggest further implications both for teaching and research regarding children’s
conceptions.

• Alternative Conceptions about Micro-organisms are Influenced by Experiences with Disease in Children

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