3～4岁儿童基于可信度特质的信任判断:特质间差异和年龄特点

3-to 4-Year-olds’ Trust Judgment Based on Trustee’s Trustworthiness Trait: Trait Effect and Age Differences

研究采用对偶选择的范式,通过两个实验考察了96名3～4岁儿童基于可信度特质的信任判断。研究同时测量儿童基于可信度特质(能干、友好和诚实)的信任判断能力和针对这些特质的好坏评价能力。结果发现:(1)信任判断的正确率在3种可信度特质间不存在差异。(2)在信任判断之后再进行好坏评价的情况下(实验一),4岁儿童信任判断的正确率高于3岁,在控制好坏评价能力之后,年龄差异依然存在。(3)在信任判断之前先进行好坏评价的情况下(实验二),则信任判断的正确率不存在年龄差异。这些结果表明不是因为好坏评价能力的缺陷,而可能是任务本身较重的认知负荷使得3岁儿童不能像4岁儿童那样自发地依据特质的效价信息进行信任判断。

This study, which involved two experiments, investigated the ability to make trust judgment based on trustee＇ s trustworthiness trait （TTT） of 96 3-to 4-year-olds. In experiment 1, all children were read 3 stories and each of the 3 stories had two kids and varied on the kids＇ traits. In Competence Story, two kids varied in competence （talented vs. untalented）. In Honesty Story, two kids varied in honesty （honest vs. dishonest）. Finally, in Benevolence Story, two kids varied in benevolence （kind vs. mean）. At first, children would be asked to make judgment about which kid to trust. And later, they would he asked to make moral evaluation on these kids. Experiment 2 only changed the order of trust judgment and moral evaluation. Children were asked to evaluate the kids before to make trust judgment. The purpose to make the change in experiment 2 was to ease children＇ s cognitive load when making trust judgment. The results were as follows： （ 1 ） the effect of trait was not found in the ability of 3-to 4-year-olds to make judgment based on TTT. The accuracies of trust judgment among three traits were not different. （2） In experiment 1, 4-year-olds performed better than 3-year-olds in trust judgment. Age differences still existed after controlling children＇s ability of evaluation based on TTT. （3） In experiment 2, 3-year-olds could make trust judgment accurately just as 4-year-olds did. There was no significant age difference. These results revealed that the reason why 3-year-olds can＇ t make trust judgment based on TTT spontaneously just as 4-year-olds did was the heavy cognitive load of task.