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Childhood personality influences on social-cognitive development: a longitudinal study
D Hart1, M Keller, W Edelstein
1Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Camden, New Jersey 08102, USA. hart@crab.rutgers.edu
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|May 26, 1998
Summary
Childhood ego-resiliency predicts adolescent social-cognitive development, including friendship understanding and moral judgment. This connection remains strong even when controlling for IQ and early social skills.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Personality Psychology
- Social Cognition
Background:
- Childhood personality traits influence later social-cognitive abilities.
- Longitudinal studies are crucial for understanding developmental trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the longitudinal relationship between childhood personality and adolescent social-cognitive development.
- To determine if ego-resiliency predicts friendship understanding and moral judgment in adolescence.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study tracking participants from age 7 to 19.
- Assessed childhood personality (ego-resiliency, ego-control) using California Child Q-Set.
- Measured IQ, social class, friendship understanding, and moral judgment at various ages.
Main Results:
- Childhood ego-resiliency significantly predicted adolescent social-cognitive development.
- This prediction held true even after controlling for IQ and early social-cognitive measures.
- The influence of ego-resiliency was not mediated by attention focus or social participation.
Conclusions:
- Ego-resiliency is a key childhood predictor of robust social-cognitive development throughout adolescence.
- Interventions aimed at fostering ego-resiliency may enhance social-cognitive skills.