Theory of mind, inhibitory control, and preschool-age children's suggestibility in different interviewing contexts.
The current study examined the relations among 3- to 5-year-olds' theory of mind, inhibitory control, and three measures of suggestibility: yielding to suggestive questions (yield), shifting answers in response to negative feedback (shift), and accuracy in response to misleading questions during a pressured interview about a live event. Theory of mind aided in the prediction of suggestibility about the live event, and inhibitory control was a moderator variable affecting the consistency of children's sensitivity to social pressure across situations. The findings indicate that theory of mind and inhibitory control predict children's suggestibility about a live event above and beyond yield, shift, and age and that the construct validity of shift may improve as children's inhibitory control develops.
Scullin
Matthew H
MH
Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA. mhscullin@mail.wvu.edu
Bonner
Karri
K
D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D011582:Psychological Theory; D013404:Suggestion; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014743:Videotape Recording