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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 23, 2026

Investigating the Neural Mechanisms of Aware and Unaware Fear Memory with fMRI

Investigating the Neural Mechanisms of Aware and Unaware Fear Memory with fMRI

Published on: October 6, 2011

Development of children's knowledge about unconsciousness.

J H Flavell¹, F L Green, E R Flavell

¹Department of Psychology, Stanford University, California 94305-2130, USA. flavell@psych.stanford.edu

Child Development

|April 28, 1999

Summary

Children

Area of Science:

Cognitive Development
Psychology
Theory of Mind

Background:

Understanding consciousness and unconsciousness is crucial for cognitive development.
The development of theory of mind, including understanding mental states, is a key area of research.
Previous research suggests children's understanding of mental states evolves over time.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate children's and adults' understanding of mental activities during sleep.
To examine the development of differentiating between conscious and unconscious mental states.
To explore the relationship between understanding consciousness and unconsciousness.

Main Methods:

Participants aged 5-10 years and adults were surveyed.
Questions focused on perceptions, reflective consciousness, and control activities during sleep.

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The study assessed beliefs about mental states during unconsciousness.

Main Results:

Recognition that unconscious individuals do not engage in conscious mental activities is still developing in late childhood.
Children's understanding of primary-consciousness activities (e.g., thinking, feeling) during sleep showed developmental progression.
Understanding of reflective-consciousness activities (e.g., knowing one is asleep) also varied with age.

Conclusions:

The ability to understand unconsciousness develops throughout middle childhood.
Developing an understanding of consciousness may support the understanding of unconsciousness, and vice versa.
Sensitivity to the phenomenology of mental states, not just content, may be a late-developing aspect of theory of mind.