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Young children embody the time of others in their time judgments: The role of the theory of mind
Author(s) -
Hallez Quentin,
DroitVolet Sylvie
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
infant and child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.87
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1522-7219
pISSN - 1522-7227
DOI - 10.1002/icd.2101
Subject(s) - psychology , theory of mind , object (grammar) , developmental psychology , test (biology) , cognitive psychology , function (biology) , cognitive development , cognition , social psychology , paleontology , linguistics , philosophy , neuroscience , evolutionary biology , biology
This study investigated the ability of young children to embody other people's time in their time judgments. Children aged from 4 to 7 years had to learn target durations and to reproduce them with the presentation of static pictures of individuals whose posture or body shape suggested different body states (movement, movement with object, emotion, and aging). Their acquisition of an explicit theory of mind was also assessed using the Sally–Anne false belief test. All the children produced different durations as a function of perceived body states. However, the magnitude of time distortions with perceived body states was higher in children with explicit theory of mind. Our results suggest an early implicit and automatic mechanism that allows young children to integrate other people's body states into their time judgments, to be attuned to others. However, the development of the awareness of others' mental states also increases time sensitivity to their states. Highlights Young children embody the time of others in their time judgments, and the development of the awareness of others' mental states improves this primitive ability. Children were asked to reproduce target durations with static pictures of individuals whose posture suggested different body states. Their acquisition of an explicit theory of mind was also assessed using the Sally–Anne false belief test. All the children produced different durations as a function of perceived body states. However, the magnitude of time distortions with perceived body states was higher in children with explicit theory of mind.