title: Early tracking of informant accuracy and inaccuracy.
abstract: Three- and four-year-old children (N = 131) were tested for their sensitivity to the accuracy and inaccuracy of informants. Children were presented with one of three conditions. In the Accurate-Inaccurate condition, one informant named objects accurately whereas the other named them inaccurately. In the Accurate-Neutral condition, one informant named objects accurately whereas the other merely drew attention to them. Finally in the Inaccurate-Neutral condition, one informant named objects inaccurately whereas the other merely drew attention to them. In subsequent test trials, 4-year-olds preferred to seek and accept information in a selective fashion across all three conditions, suggesting that they monitor informants for both accuracy and inaccuracy. By contrast, 3-year-olds were selective in the Accurate-Inaccurate and Inaccurate-Neutral conditions but not in the Accurate-Neutral condition, suggesting that they monitor informants only for inaccuracy and take accuracy for granted.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Corriveau
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Meints
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D032882:Comprehension / Q000502:physiology; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology*; D008192:Deception; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology*; D014705:Verbal Behavior