Psychological Development and Education ›› 2012, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (2): 131-139.

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The Role of Perspective-taking in Preschool Children’s Decision-making in Delay of Gratification

JIANG Qin1,2, LI Hong2,3, ZHANG Shu-yue1, ZHANG Ting3, FENG Ting-yong3, LONG Chang-quan3   

  1. 1. School of Education, Guangxi University, Nan Ning 530004;
    2. Institute of Psychological Development and Education, Liaoning Normal University, 116029;
    3. School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chong Qing 400715
  • Online:2012-03-15 Published:2012-03-15

Abstract: The task of decision-making in delay of gratification had been used to investigate the development of affective decision-making in preschool children.It involved making a series of choices between a small,immediate reward and a larger,delayed reward for children themselves and for others(research assistant).Experiment 1 tested 40 3-year-olds and 40 4-year-olds,and the result found that there was no difference between chose for self and chose for other on neither 3-year-olds nor 4-year-olds.Both of them preferred to choose delay for themselves and for others.To explain the result of experiment 1,we designed experiment 2 which also asked the children to make decision for themselves and for a research assistant based delay of gratification procedure.But we offered some information about the research assistant;therefore the information could as a cue to help children to make the useful choice for other people.And the perspective-taking task was included in experiment 2 too.60 3-year-olds and 60 4-year-olds were tested in experiment 2.The result found out:for 3-year-olds,the ability of perspective-taking had not well developed,and there was no difference between chose for self and chose for other in any kind of information groups.In contrast,for 4-year-olds,the ability of perspective taking had got developed by a certain degree, and they could make different choices for others based on different information.In sum,children's ability of affective decision-making is related to perspective-taking which shows developmental change during the preschool period in the task of delay of gratification for self and others.As perspective taking develops,children come to approach motivationally significant decision for other people.

Key words: young children, affective decision-making, delay of gratification, perspective-taking

CLC Number: 

  • B844.1
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