title: Improving children's affective decision making in the Children's Gambling Task.
abstract: Affective decision making was examined in 108 children (3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds) using the Children's Gambling Task (CGT). Children completed the CGT and then responded to awareness questions. Children in the binary_experience and binary_experience+awareness (not control) conditions first completed two simpler versions. Children in the binary_experience+awareness condition also responded to questions about relational components of the simpler versions. Experience with simpler versions facilitated decision making in 4- and 5-year-olds, but 3-year-olds' advantageous choices declined across trial blocks in the binary_experience and control conditions. Responding to questions about relational components further benefited the 4- and 5-year-olds. The 3-year-olds' advantageous choices on the final block were at chance level in the binary_experience+awareness condition but were below chance level in the other conditions. Awareness following the CGT was strongly correlated with advantageous choices and with age. Awareness was demonstrated by 5-year-olds (all conditions) and 4-year-olds (binary_experience and binary_experience+awareness) but not by 3-year-olds. The findings demonstrate the importance of complexity and conscious awareness in cognitive development.
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Psychology and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, Queensland 4222, Australia. Electronic address: g.andrews@griffith.gu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Glenda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Psychology and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, Queensland 4222, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moussaumai
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D001364:Awareness / Q000502:physiology*; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: Affective decision making; Awareness; Children’s Gambling Task; Cognitive complexity; Cognitive development; Relational complexity theory