title: Young children's trust in their mother's claims: longitudinal links with attachment security in infancy.
abstract: In a longitudinal study of attachment, children (N = 147) aged 50 and 61 months heard their mother and a stranger make conflicting claims. In 2 tasks, the available perceptual cues were equally consistent with either person's claim but children generally accepted the mother's claims over those of the stranger. In a 3rd task, the perceptual cues favored the stranger's claims, and children generally accepted her claims over those of the mother. However, children's pattern of responding varied by attachment status. The strategy of relying on the mother or the stranger, depending on the available perceptual cues, was especially evident among secure children. Insecure-avoidant children displayed less reliance on their mother's claims, irrespective of the available cues, whereas insecure-resistant children displayed more.
authors.affiliation: Harvard University, 512 Larsen Hall, HGSE, Appian Way, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. khc006@mail.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Kathleen H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Corriveau
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meins
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fernyhough
authors.forename: Bronia
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Arnott
authors.forename: Lorna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liddle
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hearn
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vittorini
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Rosnay
mesh_terms: D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003463:Cues; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009769:Object Attachment; D013067:Speech Perception; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology*