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THE DEVELOPMENT OF CO‐OPERATION: EXPLORATIONS IN COGNITIVE AND MORAL COMPETENCE AND SOCIAL AUTHORITY
Author(s) -
KUTNICK P. J.,
BREES PATRICIA
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
british journal of educational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.557
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 2044-8279
pISSN - 0007-0998
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8279.1982.tb02522.x
Subject(s) - psychology , correctness , competence (human resources) , task (project management) , cognition , social psychology , affect (linguistics) , developmental psychology , communication , management , neuroscience , computer science , economics , programming language
S ummary . Two small‐scale studies were undertaken to explore the structural basis of co‐operation as a model of authority. The authority model was derived from the structure of constraint (as authority) noting an initial sensory‐affect stage of trust/dependence. Children (40, aged 4–5 years) were divided into groups which pursued sensitivity, co‐operative and free play (control) tasks, three times per week over a 6‐week period. Children were assessed on cognitive and moral tasks/interviews; and rated on task completion/correctness, interactional behaviours and child‐child sensitivity. Children in the sensitivity group (promoting trust/dependence as a stage in co‐operative authority) showed less competitive and more co‐operative behaviours on the cognitive task and more child‐child sensitivity in the moral interviews. The control and co‐operative groups showed more competitive behaviours on the cognitive task and adult‐oriented responses in the moral interviews. A sensory‐affect stage promoting trust/dependence appears necessary as a stage in the development of a child‐oriented co‐operation.