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Self-other differences in children's perceptions about the causes of important events
E A Skinner1, A Schindler, M Tschechne
1Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Education, Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|January 1, 1990
Summary
Children aged 8-15 show developmental changes in attributing causes for life outcomes. Gifted children perceive greater personal control and ability compared to peers, influencing self-perception and performance.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Children's beliefs about causality influence their perceived control and academic engagement.
- Understanding self-other differences in causal attributions is crucial for educational and developmental interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related and individual differences in children's beliefs about internal and external causes of outcomes.
- To examine how these beliefs differ when considering oneself versus peers, particularly in the school domain.
- To explore the unique attributions of gifted children regarding control, ability, and performance causes.
Main Methods:
- Three studies were conducted with children aged 8-15, including a sample of gifted children.
- Participants reported on the effectiveness of internal and external causes for outcomes in their own lives and those of their peers.
- Beliefs about self and others were compared, with a focus on the school domain and cognitive performance correlations.
Main Results:
- Children aged 11-12 began to view internal causes as more important for others than for themselves, with self-beliefs correlating to perceived control.
- Gifted children reported higher self-perceived control and ability than peers.
- Gifted children believed peers had less understanding of school performance causes, relying more on effort and external factors; self-beliefs correlated with cognitive performance.
Conclusions:
- Self-other differences in causal attributions emerge through developmental changes and unique environmental experiences.
- Perceived control and ability attributions are linked to self-beliefs, especially in gifted populations.
- Environmental opportunities and social feedback contribute to the development of self-perception and causal reasoning in children.
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