{"title":"Cognitive and Affective Theory of Mind and Relations With Executive Functioning in Middle Childhood","authors":"B. Cassetta, P. Pexman, V. Goghari","doi":"10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.4.0514","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.4.0514","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract:Theory of mind (ToM) refers to the ability to make inferences about mental states. Thus far, little research has examined ToM development in middle childhood. Importantly, recent studies have distinguished between making inferences about beliefs (cognitive ToM) and emotions (affective ToM). ToM has also been associated with executive functioning, though research on the differential relations between cognitive ToM and affective ToM and specific components of executive functioning is scarce. The current study examined advanced cognitive and affective ToM in 8-to 11-year-olds (N = 168). Working memory, inhibition, and set-shifting abilities were also assessed. Results showed that, in this age group, cognitive ToM increased significantly with age, and combined cognitive and affective ToM trendwise increased with age. All three domains of executive functioning (EF) showed age-related improvement. Inhibitory control and verbal IQ significantly predicted cognitive ToM, whereas verbal IQ predicted affective ToM. These results suggest that cognitive and affective components of ToM are distinguishable and may be differentially related to EF.","PeriodicalId":51470,"journal":{"name":"Merrill-Palmer Quarterly-Journal of Developmental Psychology","volume":"45 11","pages":"514 - 538"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41306103","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anna-Leena Clem, K. Aunola, Riikka Hirvonen, Sami Määttä, J. Nurmi, N. Kiuru
{"title":"Adolescents' Domain-Specific Self-Concepts of Ability Predict Their Domain-Specific Causal Attributions: A Longitudinal Study","authors":"Anna-Leena Clem, K. Aunola, Riikka Hirvonen, Sami Määttä, J. Nurmi, N. Kiuru","doi":"10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.4.0539","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.4.0539","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract:This study investigated longitudinal associations between mathematics- and literacy-related causal attributions and self-concepts of ability among Finnish adolescents (N = 237). Questionnaires were administered to adolescents in Grades 7 and 9 to obtain information on their causal attributions and self-concepts of ability. The results showed that adolescents attributed their successes and failures in a self-consistent way. Specifically, self-concepts of ability predicted subsequent causal attributions in both school subjects. In mathematics, a higher self-concept of ability contributed to more self-enhancing and self-protective attributions. However, in both school subjects, a lower self-concept of ability contributed to more maladaptive attributions.","PeriodicalId":51470,"journal":{"name":"Merrill-Palmer Quarterly-Journal of Developmental Psychology","volume":"64 1","pages":"539 - 569"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41648628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Explicit and Implicit Measures of Weight Stigma in Young Children","authors":"S. Hutchison, U. Müller","doi":"10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.4.0427","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.4.0427","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract:Weight-related attitudes refer to negative attitudes toward individuals because they are overweight or obese. These attitudes are widespread among children and adults and have been proven to be recalcitrant to intervention. To develop more effective interventions, it is necessary to understand the origin and development of explicit and implicit weight-related attitudes. In the present study, we administered two measures of explicit weight-related attitudes and an adaptation of an established social cognitive measure (Implicit Association Test) to 84 children (4-to 7-year-olds). Three main findings emerged. First, the two measures of explicit weight-related attitudes were significantly correlated, suggesting they may be tapping into a similar underlying construct. Second, implicit weight-related attitudes tended to higher in older children. Third, explicit and implicit weight-related attitudes were not related to each other. Implications for interventions to reduce weight-related attitudes are discussed.","PeriodicalId":51470,"journal":{"name":"Merrill-Palmer Quarterly-Journal of Developmental Psychology","volume":"64 1","pages":"427 - 458"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43736372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Eyewitness Memory in African American Children From Low-Income Families","authors":"R. Nida","doi":"10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.4.0483","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.4.0483","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract:The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the eyewitness memory performance of 3- and 5-year-old African American children (N = 33) from low-income households. The children were asked to remember the routine details of a physical examination immediately after the physical exam and again after a delay interval of 6 weeks. Age-related changes in children's memory performance were found, with the older children remembering more than the young children. Five-year-olds recalled more information in response to open-ended questions, provided greater elaborative details of the examination, and exhibited greater consistency in their recall across both of the interviews than did their younger counterparts. Children's abilities to resist incongruous questions were markedly low, with correct-denial rates of the 3-year-olds being below chance levels and those of the 5-year-olds just above chance levels. Significant correlations were found between mental age scores derived from the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, 3rd edition, and the children's rates of correct denials and false alarms. The findings are discussed in terms of cognitive processes and language development among economically disadvantaged African American children.","PeriodicalId":51470,"journal":{"name":"Merrill-Palmer Quarterly-Journal of Developmental Psychology","volume":"64 1","pages":"483 - 513"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48444479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Prevalence of Imaginary Companions in Children: A Meta-analysis","authors":"Y. Moriguchi, Naoya","doi":"10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.4.0459","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.4.0459","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract:Having an imaginary companion (IC) is a fascinating example of children's imaginative and pretend play. However, there are inconsistencies in the reported prevalence of children's ICs. This study examined how culture may affect this prevalence. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess whether the culture, as well as age, assessment method, sex, and birth order, may affect the prevalence of ICs in studies that included children under age 12. The results revealed that culture, as well as assessment method and sex/birth order, may have a significant impact on the prevalence of ICs. Specifically, children in Western cultures were more likely to report invisible friends as compared to children in Japan, but the total prevalence of ICs did not differ across cultures. We illustrate several implications for future research on ICs.","PeriodicalId":51470,"journal":{"name":"Merrill-Palmer Quarterly-Journal of Developmental Psychology","volume":"64 1","pages":"459 - 482"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48401587","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Stephanie Miller, Rachael E. Reavis, Brittany N. Avila
{"title":"Associations Between Theory of Mind, Executive Function, and Friendship Quality in Middle Childhood","authors":"Stephanie Miller, Rachael E. Reavis, Brittany N. Avila","doi":"10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.3.0397","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.3.0397","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract:Despite our wealth of knowledge regarding theory of mind (ToM) development in preschool, less is known about development and the processes that support ToM into middle childhood. The current study examined potential cognitive (i.e., executive function, verbal intelligence, and nonverbal intelligence) and social (i.e., socioeconomic status, siblings, and friendship quality) correlates of ToM in middle childhood. A total of 81 children (6.9–10.0 years of age) completed two ToM tasks (interpretive ToM and faux pas), three executive function tasks (backward-digit span, delay of gratification, and a dimensional change card sort task), a friendship-quality questionnaire, and verbal and nonverbal intelligence measures. Results indicated that executive function differentially related to ToM. Inhibition (i.e., delaying gratification) was positively related to accuracy on faux pas stories, whereas cognitive flexibility (i.e., dimensional change card sort) was related to accuracy on the interpretive ToM task. Social correlates typically found in pre-school (i.e., socioeconomic status and number of siblings) were not significant in our older sample. However, friendship quality was related to ToM performance, with negative friendship quality relating to better interpretive ToM for girls. Results indicate that older children continue to develop in ToM abilities, executive function continues to relate to ToM performance, and social experiences outside the family may be important to consider in ToM tasks appropriate for middle childhood.","PeriodicalId":51470,"journal":{"name":"Merrill-Palmer Quarterly-Journal of Developmental Psychology","volume":"64 1","pages":"397 - 426"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48365211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Sleep and Aggressive Behavior Among Toddlers: Investigating Directionality of Associations","authors":"Marie‐Ève Bélanger, Kim Desrosiers, A. Bernier","doi":"10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.3.0329","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.3.0329","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract:This study examined the reciprocal associations between sleep (duration and quality) and aggressive behavior in toddlers. The sample consisted of 82 children (43 boys and 39 girls) and their parents who completed two assessments, when children were 2 and 3 years old. At both time points, children wore an actigraph for 3 consecutive days to assess their sleep patterns, and both their parents reported on their child’s aggressive behavior. The results indicated negative associations between sleep quality at age 2 and both parents’ evaluations of aggressive behavior at age 3; in contrast, the relations between aggression at age 2 and sleep (duration or quality) at age 3 were small and nonsignificant. In line with studies of older children and adolescents, these results suggest that sleep difficulties are more likely to favor the emergence of aggressive behavior among young children than the converse.","PeriodicalId":51470,"journal":{"name":"Merrill-Palmer Quarterly-Journal of Developmental Psychology","volume":"64 1","pages":"329 - 346"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43528874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Overprotection in Adolescent Friendships","authors":"R. Etkin, J. Bowker","doi":"10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.3.0347","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.3.0347","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract:For the first time, we investigate associations between overprotective behavior within the context of adolescent friendships and psychosocial outcomes. Young adolescents participating in two studies (Ns = 270 and 179; 49% boys) completed self-report measures of psychological functioning, social problems (also assessed with peer nominations), and friendship quality. To assess friend over-protection, curvilinear effects of self-reported friend protection were examined in Study 1, and a self-report measure of parental overprotection was adapted to describe friend overprotection in Study 2. Gender and shyness (Study 2 only) were considered as moderators of associations between friend (over)protection and outcomes. Results from regression analyses revealed significant associations between extreme levels of friend protection/overprotection and indices of psychological and social maladjustment, with some associations specific to highly shy adolescents. These studies together represent a first step toward understanding a previously unexplored feature of adolescent friendships that may have important implications for psychological well-being and social adjustment.","PeriodicalId":51470,"journal":{"name":"Merrill-Palmer Quarterly-Journal of Developmental Psychology","volume":"64 1","pages":"347 - 375"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41712564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Frazer, John L. Cooley, Paula J. Fite, Jonathan L. Poquiz
{"title":"Anger Inhibition Moderates the Link Between Parental Psychological Control and Peer Victimization","authors":"A. Frazer, John L. Cooley, Paula J. Fite, Jonathan L. Poquiz","doi":"10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.3.0376","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.13110/MERRPALMQUAR1982.64.3.0376","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract:Studies examining the link between psychological control and peer victimization are limited. The current study extends knowledge of the role of parental psychological control in predicting children’s experiences of peer victimization by longitudinally evaluating the moderating role of emotion inhibition. Gender differences in this effect were also examined. Third-grade and fourth-grade students (N = 177) completed measures at baseline and a 1-year follow-up that assessed demographics, peer victimization, parental psychological control, and anger and sadness inhibition. Parental psychological control predicted peer victimization over a 1-year period, and this relation depended on levels of anger inhibition. That is, at high levels of anger inhibition (+1 SD), parental psychological control showed no associations with peer victimization over time, whereas, at low levels of anger inhibition (−1 SD), parental psychological control was associated with increases in peer victimization. Results were similar across gender. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.","PeriodicalId":51470,"journal":{"name":"Merrill-Palmer Quarterly-Journal of Developmental Psychology","volume":"64 1","pages":"376 - 396"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42339970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}