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Understanding the Truth about Subjectivity
Author(s) -
Rowley Martin,
Robinson Elizabeth J.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
social development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.078
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1467-9507
pISSN - 0961-205X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9507.2007.00405.x
Subject(s) - subjectivity , preference , psychology , diversity (politics) , taste , social psychology , developmental psychology , epistemology , sociology , philosophy , anthropology , neuroscience , economics , microeconomics
Results of two experiments show children's understanding of diversity in personal preference is incomplete. Despite acknowledging diversity, in Experiment 1 (N = 108), six‐ and eight‐year‐old children were less likely than adults to see preference as a legitimate basis for personal tastes and more likely to say a single truth could be found about a matter of taste. In Experiment 2 (N = 96), seven‐ and nine‐year‐olds were less likely than 11‐ and 13‐year‐olds to say a dispute about a matter of preference might not be resolved. These data suggest that acceptance of the possibility of diversity does not indicate an adult‐like understanding of subjectivity. An understanding of the relative emphasis placed on objective and subjective factors in different contexts continues to develop into adolescence.