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Related Concept Videos

Decision Making01:20

Decision Making

Decision-making is a fundamental cognitive process that involves evaluating alternatives and selecting among them. This process can range from simple choices, such as deciding what to wear, to complex decisions, like choosing a major in college or a career path. The complexity of the decision often dictates the approach we use, which can be broadly categorized into two types: automatic and controlled decision-making.
Automatic decision-making is fast, intuitive, and relies on gut feelings...
Understanding Self-Concept01:20

Understanding Self-Concept

The self-concept encompasses individuals' beliefs about themselves, structured through cognitive frameworks known as self-schemas. These schemas function as mental representations of specific traits or behaviors, influencing how self-relevant information is perceived, processed, and remembered. For example, individuals who are schematic for body weight are more likely to interpret routine experiences—such as dining out or shopping—through the lens of that trait. Conversely, those aschematic for...
Decision Making: Traditional Method01:14

Decision Making: Traditional Method

The process of hypothesis testing based on the traditional method includes calculating the critical value, testing the value of the test statistic using the sample data, and interpreting these values.
First, a specific claim about the population parameter is decided based on the research question and is stated in a simple form. Further, an opposing statement to this claim is also stated. These statements can act as null and alternative hypotheses, out of which a null hypothesis would be a...
Decision Making: P-value Method01:09

Decision Making: P-value Method

The process of hypothesis testing based on the P-value method includes calculating the P- value using the sample data and interpreting it.
First, a specific claim about the population parameter is proposed. The claim is based on the research question and is stated in a simple form. Further, an opposing statement to the claim  is also stated. These statements can act as null and alternative hypotheses:  a null hypothesis would be a neutral statement while the alternative hypothesis can have a...
Self-Concept01:19

Self-Concept

Self-concept is the cognitive and emotional understanding individuals hold about their identity. It evolves through various developmental stages, beginning in infancy and maturing as children grow. This concept influences how individuals perceive their abilities, interact with others, and manage challenges throughout life.
Infancy and Emerging Recognition
During infancy, self-concept is virtually nonexistent. Babies do not distinguish themselves as separate entities and often mistake their...
Personal Choice and Fate Attributions01:19

Personal Choice and Fate Attributions

Some individuals interpret life events as a consequence of their personal choices and actions, while others believe that outcomes are dictated by fate or destiny. This divergence in perspective has been examined in psychological and cross-cultural studies, particularly in relation to religious faith and cultural beliefs about causality.Fate and Personal ResponsibilityPeople who emphasize personal responsibility view events as direct consequences of their decisions. For instance, breaking a leg...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

Online Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Dorsomedial and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Cognition Decision Making, and Cognitive Dissonance
13:20

Online Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Dorsomedial and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Cognition Decision Making, and Cognitive Dissonance

Published on: December 5, 2025

Developing a concept of choice.

Tamar Kushnir1

  • 1Department of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. tk397@cornell.edu

Advances in Child Development and Behavior
|December 5, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Children develop their understanding of choice through social learning, integrating rational agency and statistical inference. Their concept of choice evolves from recognizing action possibilities to understanding motivations as constraints, eventually mirroring adult beliefs.

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Online Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Dorsomedial and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Cognition Decision Making, and Cognitive Dissonance
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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Social Learning Theory

Background:

  • Adult concept of choice is complex, influenced by situation, individual, and culture.
  • Beliefs about the causes of actions are likely constructed through social learning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Examine the development of the concept of choice in young children using a rational constructivist approach.
  • Investigate how children's beliefs about choice change over time.

Main Methods:

  • Rational constructivist approach to developmental research.
  • Analysis of infants' and preschoolers' reasoning about action possibilities and constraints.

Main Results:

  • Infants combine rational agency with statistical inference to reason about actions.
  • Preschoolers integrate causal knowledge but view motivations as choice constraints.
  • Adult-like belief that choice mediates conflicting motivations develops later.

Conclusions:

  • Children's concept of choice undergoes significant conceptual changes.
  • Further research is needed to characterize these changes and their origins in everyday experiences.