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Toddlers’ joint engagement experience facilitates preschoolers’ acquisition of theory of mind
Author(s) -
Nelson P. Brooke,
Adamson Lauren B.,
Bakeman Roger
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
developmental science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.801
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1467-7687
pISSN - 1363-755X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2008.00733.x
Subject(s) - psychology , theory of mind , joint attention , developmental psychology , comprehension , false belief , longitudinal study , language development , cognitive psychology , cognition , linguistics , philosophy , statistics , mathematics , autism , neuroscience
Abstract Forty‐two children participated in a longitudinal study that investigated the relationship between their joint engagement experience when toddlers and their development of theory of mind when preschoolers. Controlling for language comprehension at 30 months, higher preschool false belief scores were associated with more time in coordinated joint engagement earlier (18–21 mo, β = .34) and in symbol‐infused joint engagement later (27–30 mo, β = .35) in toddlerhood. Findings suggest that the early foundation of theory of mind development is laid as toddlers attend to both social‐emotional and symbolic aspects of shared events.