This study explored factors underlying preschoolers' ability to make future-oriented choices. In a delay-of-gratification choice task, quantity and visibility of the reward was systematically varied. Participants included 90 typically developing children aged 2-4 years. Children made more choices to delay gratification as the quantity of the…

Exposure to different forms of narrative media may influence children's development of theory-of-mind. Because engagement with fictional narratives provides one with information about the social world, and possibly draws upon theory-of-mind processes during comprehension, exposure to storybooks, movies, and television may influence theory-of-mind…

Examined nascent understanding of desire in cases where a child judges another's desire while holding a strong conflicting desire. Found that difference in ability to attribute beliefs versus desires to others is not due solely to difference in representational nature of two mental states; instead, beliefs differ from desire in their potential to…

Examined whether prudence and altruism, in situations involving future desires, follow similar developmental courses between ages 3 and 5. Tested children on ability to forego current opportunity in order to gratify their own future desires or those of research assistant. Found that between ages 3 and 4, children develop some common mechanism…