Young Children's Self‐Concepts Include Representations of Abstract Traits and the Global Self. Issue 6 (24th August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cimpian, Andrei; Hammond, Matthew D.; Mazza, Giulia; Corry, Grace
• Is Part Of: Child development. Volume 88:Issue 6(2017)
• Page Start: 1786
• Page End: 1798
• Publication Date: 2017-08-24
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child Development -- Periodicals; Child Development; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Pedicatrics; 305.231
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12925
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-3920

Abstract

Abstract : There is debate about the abstractness of young children's self‐concepts—specifically, whether they include representations of (a) general traits and abilities and (b) the global self. Four studies ( N = 176 children aged 4–7) suggested these representations are indeed part of early self‐concepts. Studies 1 and 2 reexamined prior evidence that young children cannot represent traits and abilities. The results suggested that children's seemingly immature judgments in previous studies were due to peculiarities of the task context not the inadequacy of children's self‐concepts. Similarly, Studies 3 and 4 revealed that, contrary to claims of immaturity in reasoning about the global self, young children update their global self‐evaluations in flexible, context‐sensitive ways. This evidence suggests continuity in the structure of self‐concepts across childhood. Abstract : The title for this Special Section isOrigins of Children's Self‐Views, edited by Eddie Brummelman and Sander Thomaes