Selman's Theory: The development of social cognition

Question 1

What is Social Cognition?

Answer 1

• the mental processes we make use of when engaged in a social interaction
• investigates how the social context affects the way we think and how our thoughts effect our social behaviour

Question 2

What is Perspective-Taking?

Answer 2

• involves being able to view a situation or emotions from another persons viewpoint

Question 3

Perspective-Taking Research

Answer 3

• Selman was influenced by Piaget
• Selman looked at the changes that occurred with age

Procedure:
- 30 boys and 30 girls (20 4yrs, 20 5yrs, and 20 6yrs)
- all were given a task designed to measure perspective-taking ability
- involved asking them how they felt in scenarios (Holly who promised her father to not climb up trees but then her friends kitten got stuck up a tree) - the task was to then say how Holly, her friend and her father would feel if she did or didn’t climb the tree

Findings:
- a number of distinct levels of perspective-taking were identified
- Selman found that the level correlated with age suggested a clear developmental sequence

Question 4

Stage 0 (3-6 years)
Egocentric

Answer 4

• children cannot reliably distinguish between their emotions and others emotions
• can identify emotional states in others but don’t understand what social behaviour it may have caused

Question 5

Stage 1 (6-8 years)
Social-Informational

Answer 5

• children can tell the difference between their own point of view and others but can only focus on 1 at a time

Question 6

Stage 2 (8-10 years)
Self-Reflective

Answer 6

• children can put themselves in the position of others and fully appreciate others’ perspectives but can only take on 1 point at a time

Question 7

Stage 3 (10-12 years)
Social + Conventional System

Answer 7

• sometimes understanding others viewpoints is not enough to allow people to reach agreement

Question 7

What did Selman believe?

Answer 7

• Selman believed that development through these stages are based on maturity and experience

Question 7

Schultz 3 Aspects to Social Development

Answer 7

1. Interpersonal Understanding - if we can take different roles, we can understand social situations
2. Interpersonal Negotiation Strategies - develop skills on how to respond to social situations - asserting your position and managing conflict
3. Awareness of Personal Meaning of Relationships - the ability to reflect on social behaviour in context of different relationships