The development of processing nested structures in language and action and false-belief understanding in preschool children.

IF 3.1 2区心理学 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL

Developmental Psychology Pub Date : 2025-06-01 Epub Date: 2025-04-10 DOI:10.1037/dev0001960

Saskia Melzel, Markus Paulus

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Abstract

Influential theories have proposed that processing nested structures constitutes an important characteristic of human cognition among various domains. It might represent an important cognitive capacity in human development. We assessed the development of nested structure processing (NSP) in 3- to 6-year-old German children (N = 130) across two domains, language and action. We explored (1) whether NSP development is related across the domains, (2) to which extent it relates to general cognitive functions such as inhibitory control (IC) and working memory (WM), and (3) whether NSP in action and language relates to the early development of false-belief understanding (FBU). NSP in the action and language domain was correlated even when controlling for IC, yet the correlation was not significant anymore when controlling for WM or age. Furthermore, NSP in action related to FBU even when controlling for WM, IC, and age. Overall, the results point to the development of a domain-general NSP capacity during preschool years. They suggest that WM constitutes an essential basis for NSP. Furthermore, our results support cognitive theories proposing that NSP plays a role in the early development of explicit FBU. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

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学龄前儿童语言动作加工嵌套结构的发展与错误信念理解。

有影响的理论已经提出，处理嵌套结构是人类在不同领域之间认知的一个重要特征。它可能代表了人类发展过程中一种重要的认知能力。我们评估了3- 6岁德国儿童（N = 130）在语言和行动两个领域的嵌套结构处理（NSP）发展。我们探讨了(1)NSP的发展是否跨领域相关，(2)它在多大程度上与抑制控制（IC）和工作记忆（WM）等一般认知功能相关，以及(3)行动和语言中的NSP是否与错误信念理解（FBU）的早期发展相关。动作和语言领域的NSP即使在控制IC的情况下也存在相关性，但在控制WM或年龄的情况下，相关性不再显著。此外，即使在控制WM、IC和年龄的情况下，NSP也与FBU有关。总体而言，研究结果表明，儿童在学龄前发展了一种领域通用的NSP能力。他们认为，WM构成了NSP的必要基础。此外，我们的研究结果支持认知理论，即NSP在外显性FBU的早期发展中起作用。（PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA，版权所有）。

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来源期刊

Developmental Psychology PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL-

CiteScore

5.80

自引率

2.50%

发文量

329

期刊介绍： Developmental Psychology ® publishes articles that significantly advance knowledge and theory about development across the life span. The journal focuses on seminal empirical contributions. The journal occasionally publishes exceptionally strong scholarly reviews and theoretical or methodological articles. Studies of any aspect of psychological development are appropriate, as are studies of the biological, social, and cultural factors that affect development. The journal welcomes not only laboratory-based experimental studies but studies employing other rigorous methodologies, such as ethnographies, field research, and secondary analyses of large data sets. We especially seek submissions in new areas of inquiry and submissions that will address contradictory findings or controversies in the field as well as the generalizability of extant findings in new populations. Although most articles in this journal address human development, studies of other species are appropriate if they have important implications for human development. Submissions can consist of single manuscripts, proposed sections, or short reports.