Institute of Psychology & Courant Research Centre, 'Evolution of Social Behaviour', University of Göttingen, Germany.
Dev Sci. 2010 Jul;13(4):648-61. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2009.00922.x.
In two studies children's performance on tasks requiring the ascription of beliefs and desires was investigated in relation to their executive function. Study 1 (n = 80) showed that 3- and 4-year-olds were more proficient at ascribing subjective, mutually incompatible desires and desire-dependent emotions to two persons than they were at ascribing analogous subjective false beliefs. Replicating previous findings, executive function was correlated with false-belief ascription. However, executive function was also correlated with performance on tasks requiring subjective desire understanding. Study 2 (n = 54) replicated these results, and showed that the correlations hold even if age, vocabulary and working memory are controlled for. The results are discussed with regard to the role of executive function and conceptual change in theory of mind development.
在两项研究中，研究人员调查了儿童在需要归因于信念和欲望的任务中的表现，以及他们的执行功能。研究 1（n = 80）表明，3 岁和 4 岁的儿童比归因于类似主观错误信念更熟练地将主观、相互矛盾的欲望和依赖于欲望的情绪归因于两个人。与之前的发现一致，执行功能与错误信念归因相关。然而，执行功能也与需要主观欲望理解的任务表现相关。研究 2（n = 54）复制了这些结果，并表明即使控制年龄、词汇量和工作记忆，相关性仍然存在。研究结果从执行功能和概念变化的角度讨论了他们在心理理论发展中的作用。
