14 - Knowledge of Self and Others

Question 1

Three ways of defining self

Answer 1

Individual (personal characteristics) Relational (IWMs of attachment, relationships), Collective (belonging to a group)

Question 2

Process of self recognition through the mirror/rouge test

Answer 2

Not a sudden insight but a gradual process. Children begin to pass at around 17-22 months.

Question 3

Development of self-perception from 3-11 years

Answer 3

3-4 years: straightforward self-descriptions
4-7 years: focus on competencies
8-10 years: more complex, cultural, aware of private feelings. Prior to 8 years, tendency to be overly positive
11 years: in terms of relationships, personality characteristics, emotions, understanding that self may vary according to context

Question 4

Development of self-perception in middle and late adolescence

Answer 4

Middle adolescence - increasing introspection in view of self. Worried of others’ views. More integrated view of self but difficulty understanding contradictions in views of self.
Late adolescence - emphasis on morals, values, beliefs, the future. Overcome contradictory views.

Question 5

Self-esteem

Answer 5

Global evaluation of one’s worth as a person

Question 6

Gender difference in self-esteem

Answer 6

Girls have less self-esteem in all countries. Perhaps because of cultural factors. Also greater levels of assertiveness in boys. Lower athletic participation in girls.

Question 7

Parenting styles and self-esteem

Answer 7

Authoritative - High self-esteem and assertive
Permissive - High self-esteem, confidence, impulsive, less responsible
Authoritarian - Low self-esteem
Uninvolved - Low self-esteem, self hatred

Question 8

Joint attention

Answer 8

Developed at 11-14 months. Looking at same objects, usually by pointing - guiding others’ intentions. Requirements: (a) ability to follow eye gaze (b) understanding the intentions of others

Question 9

Knowledge of norms

Answer 9

18 months - develop knowledge about violations of norms.

2 years - begin to be able to describe rituals/scripts. Understanding rule-following, social predictability.

Question 10

Theory of mind

Answer 10

Understanding thoughts, beliefs, goals of other individuals. Understanding unseen mental states. Necessary for social competence

Question 11

Knowledge about false beliefs

Answer 11

Experiment: kid with candy, leaves in cupboard, mom moves it to drawer. Where will kid look? 3 yrs - will look in drawer. 4-5 yrs - cupboard. 3 yr old kids cannot hold in minds that the kid in experiment holds a belief they know to be false

Question 12

Knowledge about deception

Answer 12

Kid paired with adult who gives advice about location of a sticker. Some are helpers, others are trickers. Distrust of trickers develops at 4-5 yrs

Question 13

Knowledge of perspective taking

Answer 13

Taking perspectives of others. Selecting gift - 3 yr old gives parent toy, 5 yr gives something like a magazine.

Question 14

Steps of perspective taking

Answer 14

(0) Egocentric - do not distinguish own perspectives from others
(1) Differentiated - know that can be different, but don’t know what it is
(2) Reciprocal - anticipate others’ thoughts
(3) Mutual - can view from 3rd person perspective
(4) Societal/in-depth - can see networks of perspectives

Question 15

Knowledge of psychological traits of others

Answer 15

3-5 yrs - begin labeling traits
8 yrs - understand traits but have very static idea
Adolescence - understand that psychological traits interact with situation to predict behavior

Question 16

How parents can help theory of mind

Answer 16

Discussion of emotional terms and inner states with parents; turn-taking and reciprocal conversation -> emotional understanding -> theory of mind -> social competence

Question 17

How peers, friends, siblings promote theory of mind

Answer 17

Pretend play, conflict resolution -> perspective taking, role reversals, shared and discrepant concerns, interests, goals