title: What would Batman do? Self-distancing improves executive function in young children.
abstract: This experimental research assessed the influence of graded levels of self-distancing - psychological distancing from one's egocentric perspective - on executive function (EF) in young children. Three- (n = 48) and 5-year-old (n = 48) children were randomly assigned to one of four manipulations of distance from the self (from proximal to distal: self-immersed, control, third person, and exemplar) on a comprehensive measure of EF. Performance increased as a function of self-distancing across age groups. Follow-up analyses indicated that 5-year-olds were driving this effect. They showed significant improvements in EF with increased distance from the self, outperforming controls both when taking a third person perspective on the self and when taking the perspective of an exemplar other (e.g., Batman) through role play. Three-year-olds, however, did not show increased EF performance as a function of greater distance from the self. Preliminary results suggest that developments in theory of mind might contribute to these age-related differences in efficacy. These findings speak to the importance of psychological distancing in the expression of conscious control over thought and action from a young age and suggest a promising new avenue for early EF intervention.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, USA.|Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Rachel E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Carlson
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004532:Ego; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D012929:Psychological Distance; D002666:Psychology, Child / Q000379:methods; D066233:Psychology, Developmental / Q000379:methods; D012381:Role Playing; D012649:Self Concept