TABLE 1.

Descriptive statistics for parental explanations in response to why and how questions as well as overall

Explanatory codes		How questions		Why questions			Total
		M (SD)	Range	M (SD)	Range	Paired t‐test	M (SD)	Range
General	Length	41.88 (32.01)	3.25–183.50	41.67 (32.30)	3.50–229.75	0.21	41.78 (31.58)	3.38–205.13
	Attempted	3.47 (0.79)	1–4	3.47 (0.80)	0–4	0.00	6.93 (1.33)	2–8
Type	Mechanistic	3.20 (0.90)	1–4	0.53 (0.79)	0–4	30.48**	3.74 (1.32)	1–8
	Teleological	0.10 (0.43)	0–4	2.58 (0.89)	0–4	−30.81**	2.68 (1.00)	0–8
Accuracy	Any accurate	2.78 (1.10)	0–4	3.09 (0.98)	0–4	−3.40**	5.87 (1.75)	1–8
	Any inaccurate	1.51 (1.03)	0–4	0.85 (0.83)	0–3	6.99**	2.37 (1.49)	0–7
	Correct answer	1.71 (1.21)	0–4	2.08 (1.11)	0–4	−3.95**	3.79 (2.01)	0–8
Characteristics	Supernatural	0.11 (0.44)	0–3	0.11 (0.44)	0–3	0.28	0.22 (0.83)	0–6
	Dogmatic	0.16 (0.45)	0–2	0.13 (0.36)	0–2	0.78	0.29 (0.62)	0–3
	Bridging	1.11 (1.16)	0–4	0.89 (0.98)	0–4	2.48*	2.01 (1.84)	0–8
	Info search	1.12 (1.22)	0–4	0.84 (0.93)	0–4	3.34**	1.97 (1.93)	0–8
	Limits	1.58 (1.24)	0–4	1.78 (1.11)	0–4	−2.07*	3.37 (2.04)	0–8
	Question	0.07 (0.37)	0–3	0.21 (0.69)	0–4	−3.68**	0.28 (1.01)	0–7

The paired t‐test compares the mean frequency of different explanatory codes in response to how questions to those in response to why questions.

^** p < .01

^* p < .05.