The Relationship Between Persuasion Understanding and Persuasion Behavior Among 3-6 Years Old Children: The Role of Theory of Mind

Abstract

Abstract: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between persuasion understanding and persuasion behavior among children, while considering theory of mind(ToM). Seventy-two 3- to 6- year-olds(Mage=4 years 10 months, SD=9.72 months)took part in persuasion understanding tasks, forced-choice persuasion task, naturalistic interactive persuasion task and were also given a batter of ToM tasks. After controlling for their age, gender and verbal ability, the regression analysis showed that only ToM influenced children's persuasion choice, and ToM moderated the relationship between their persuasion understanding and the number of positive persuasion arguments children produced. These results indicated that both ToM and persuasion understanding contributed to children's persuasion behavior.

Key words: preschool children, persuasion, persuasion behavior, persuasion understanding, theory of mind.

摘要： 为考察儿童对说服行为的理解及其与自身作出的说服行为之间的关系，以及心理理论在其中发挥的作用，研究采用情境故事法，考察72名3-6岁儿童（M=4岁10个月, SD=9.72月）对说服行为的理解、自身做出的选择性简单说服行为、互动性复杂说服行为和心理理论（包括错误信念理解、情绪心理理论等）。在控制了年龄、性别和言语能力后，线性回归分析发现只有心理理论能直接预测儿童的简单说服行为；而说服理解对儿童复杂说服中采用正面说服策略次数的影响则受到了心理理论的调节。结果表明，儿童对说服行为的理解和心理理论能力共同决定了其主动作出的说服行为。

关键词: 学龄前儿童, 说服, 说服行为, 说服理解, 心理理论

CLC Number:

B844

Jiang Weili, Liu Ruolin, Su Yanjie. The Relationship Between Persuasion Understanding and Persuasion Behavior Among 3-6 Years Old Children: The Role of Theory of Mind[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2015, 13(5): 684-690.

姜玮丽,刘若麟,苏彦捷. 3-6岁儿童的说服理解与说服行为的关系：心理理论的作用*[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2015, 13(5): 684-690.

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