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Theory of Mind Development and Moral Judgment as Differential Predictors of Aggressive and Prosocial Behaviors in a Normative Preschool Sample

Baker, Erin R
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6750-1331
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1459868255

Abstract Details

2016, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, Psychology/Developmental.
The present study examined the relations between Theory of Mind and moral development as they impact specific aggressive behaviors and prosociality in preschoolers. Social-Cognitive and Social-Cognitive Domain Theory suggest that behavior should be considered a function of personal factors and environment, whereby each of these three facets impact and interact with one another, especially during the development of moral understanding. The current conceptualized hypothesized that moral judgment would predict socio-moral cognition, and – separately – that inhibitory control would predict Theory of Mind; additionally, a moderation of socio-moral cognition was posed on the expected relation from Theory of Mind to social outcomes. One hundred seventy-six preschoolers (Ma=53.3 months) completed measures of inhibitory control, moral understanding, morally imbedded Theory of Mind, verbal skills, and a traditional Theory of Mind battery consisting of five tasks. In addition, teacher- and child self-report data were collected for four specific aspects of aggressive behavior, and prosociality. The proposed model was a good fit to the data using teacher-report data. Results indicate that for children high in mental state understanding, applied moral cognitive development influences teacher-rated prosociality, such that those who were better able to understand another’s motive tended to be less prosocial—for those without motive understanding, there was no relation from ToM on prosocial behavior. Implications are discussed in regards to theoretical development and previous empirical findings.
Marie Tisak (Advisor)
John Tisak (Committee Member)
Carolyn Tompsett (Committee Member)
Susannah Cleveland (Other)
128 p.
Cognitive Psychology; Developmental Psychology; Early Childhood Education; Psychology; Social Psychology
Theory of Mind; childhood aggression; aggression; prosocial development; inhibitory control; moral judgment; moral cognition; physical aggression; relational aggression; reactive aggression; proactive aggression; moral theory of mind; early childhood

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Baker, E. R. (2016). Theory of Mind Development and Moral Judgment as Differential Predictors of Aggressive and Prosocial Behaviors in a Normative Preschool Sample [Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1459868255

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Baker, Erin. Theory of Mind Development and Moral Judgment as Differential Predictors of Aggressive and Prosocial Behaviors in a Normative Preschool Sample. 2016. Bowling Green State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1459868255.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Baker, Erin. "Theory of Mind Development and Moral Judgment as Differential Predictors of Aggressive and Prosocial Behaviors in a Normative Preschool Sample." Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1459868255

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.