Children's Theories of the Self. Issue 6 (18th September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Starmans, Christina
• Is Part Of: Child development. Volume 88:Issue 6(2017)
• Page Start: 1774
• Page End: 1785
• Publication Date: 2017-09-18
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child Development -- Periodicals; Child Development; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Pedicatrics; 305.231
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12951
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-3920

Abstract

Abstract : This article provides a theoretical review of the developmental origins of children's "folk theories" about the nature of the self, linking theoretical developments in philosophy with empirical discoveries from developmental psychology. The article first reviews children's views about the material nature of the self, outlining evidence that children naturally think about the self as distinct from the body. It then discusses children's understanding of the persistence of the self over time and, finally, explores children's views about conflict within the self. Together, these findings suggest that preschoolers possess stable, coherent, and predictive theories about the nature of the self that are stable across individuals, early emerging, and in some cases undergo interesting developmental change. Abstract : The title for this Special Section isOrigins of Children's Self‐Views, edited by Eddie Brummelman and Sander Thomaes