Table 3.

Coding Scheme for Open-Ended Explanations, Study 1

Explanation Code Definition and Examples
Category	States that the target does/does not belong to a particular category, or generic statement about the category. Ex.: “Because cows like to chew on grass, and he’s a cow”
• Formal	Subtype of category explanation that indicates that category membership explains the presence of a property. Ex.: “Because she’s a girl.”
• Association	Subtype of category explanation that describes category-property associations. Ex.: “Because girls usually like dolls better.”
• Other Categ.	Category-based explanations that did not fit criteria for formal or association were coded as “other”. Ex.: “Because she’s not a boy.”
Biological Mech.	Refers to biological mechanism or biological consequences, even if incorrect. Ex.: “If it drank the pig mother’s milk”; “Because he was not born a girl.”
Environment	Refers to environmental influences, including learning or being taught, or environmental factor that prevents target from acquiring the property. Ex.: “Well, he’s gonna be all around monkeys all his life, and his mom and his brothers and sisters and friends will be climbing in trees”
Preferences	Refers to the characters’ preferences or desires. Ex.: “Because she loves to collect dolls.”