Understanding of Goals, Beliefs, and Desires Predicts Morally Relevant Theory of Mind: A Longitudinal Investigation.
Developmental continuity between infants' understanding of intentional agency (goals, beliefs, and desires) and young children's attributions of moral intentions were studied in a 4-year longitudinal study (N = 77 children). First, goal encoding at the age of 7 months and implicit false belief understanding at 18 months were predictive of children's understanding of an accidental transgressor's moral intentions at the age of 5 years. Second, 24-month-olds' understanding of subjective desires was predictive of children's ability to understand an accidental transgressor's false belief at 5 years. These correlations remained significant when controlling for gender and verbal IQ. These findings support the theory that an early understanding of intentional agency is foundational for moral cognition in childhood.
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
Beate
B
Sodian
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
Maria
M
Licata
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
Susanne
S
Kristen-Antonow
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
Markus
0000-0003-0446-4956
M
Paulus
University of Maryland.
Melanie
M
Killen
University of Chicago.
Amanda
A
Woodward
D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D032882:Comprehension / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009014:Morals; D012938:Social Perception; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology*; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology*