Psychological Development and Education ›› 2007, Vol. 23 ›› Issue (3): 6-12.

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Developmental Features of Understandings about the Stability of Traits among Chinese Children aged from 3 to 9

GAO Wen1, YANG Li-zhu2   

  1. 1. Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal Universtiy, Beijing 100875;
    2. Psychology Department, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029
  • Online:2007-07-15 Published:2007-07-15

Abstract: Eight short corrected stories were used to test 281 Chinese children which were 3-9 years old from kinder-gartens and elementary schools for their understandings about the stability of traits, not only positive or negative traits but also stability across time or situations.Results suggested that more young more optimistic among children aged from 3 to 9, the fourth year of young life maybe the key time for children's understandings about the stability of traits; clarified that in young children's eyes positive traits were stable once got it while negative ones were easier to change; found out that types of trait and contexts could moderate the effects to those understandings.These characteristics were probably related to children's theory of mind and perceptions on influential factors to development of traits, also beliefs on stability of traits from the whole culture.

Key words: understandings about the stability of traits, recognition of traits, stability across time, consistency across situations

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