Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM) allows children to achieve success in the social world by understanding others' minds. A study with 3- to 12-year-olds, however, demonstrates that gains in ToM are linked to decreases in children's desire to engage in performative behaviors associated with health and well-being, such as singing and dancing. One hundred and fifty-nine middle-class children from diverse backgrounds in a Northeastern U.S. metropolitan area completed the study in 2011. The development of ToM is associated with decreases in self-esteem, which in turn predicts decreases in children's willingness to perform. This shift away from performance begins at age 4 (when ToM begins to develop), years before children enter puberty.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 651-658 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Child development |
Volume | 86 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 1 2015 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Education
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health