Mele Taumoepeau
Dados Biográficos
| ID | 83538 |
|---|---|
| NOME | Mele Taumoepeau |
| PRENOMES | Mele |
| SOBRENOME | Taumoepeau |
| ASSINATURA | TAUMOEPEAU M |
| AFILIAÇÕES | University of Otago |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5015-8151 |
| VERIFICADO | Sim |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 20 |
| TOTAL DE CITAÇÕES | 13 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 20 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 0 |
| PRIMEIRO ANO DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2006 |
| ANO MAIS RECENTE DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2026 |
| ÍNDICE H | 2 |
Experiences of learning New Zealand sign language
In New Zealand, approximately 25% of hearing parents learn New Zealand sign language (NZSL) for their deaf children but little is known about the impact of this choice on hearing parents’ identities and their goals for their children’s socialization. Five hearing parents were interviewed about their identities as hearing parents and their sociation goals for their children. Four themes were produced from a reflexive thematic analysis of the inter…
Kia Tīmata Pai Video Project
This study investigated the impact of an educator-implemented oral language intervention, Enhancing Rich Interactions (ENRICH), on linguistic aspects of educator-toddler interactions. Twenty-four early childhood classrooms were assigned to either ENRICH or an Active Control condition; ENRICH educators received professional development in serve-and-return interactions. For book-reading, results revealed effects of ENRICH for educators' shorter con…
Mai mana
Taken together, our study demonstrated that Pacific peoples living in Aotearoa exhibit a range of personal, spiritual, and collective attributes that support their resilience, and we discuss the implications of these findings for our theories of resilience, especially for Indigenous groups. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)
The View From a Social Constructivist Framework
Sexual and reproductive health knowledges
Pacific young people living in Aotearoa New Zealand experience disparities in their sexual and reproductive health outcomes, thought to stem from cultural differences and educational inequities. Although these barriers have been characterised in literature, their influence on Pacific youth's understandings of sexual and reproductive health have been relatively unexplored. This study investigated the sexual and reproductive health knowledge of Pac…
We'll be okay together’
Queer university students face multiple stressors which can contribute to mental health difficulties, including minority stressors unique to their queer identities. However, there is little literature exploring stressors faced by queer individuals in university settings. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore the current challenges and strengths faced by queer university students in Aotearoa New Zealand, in order to contextualise thei…
Could, would, should
This study examined the developmental profiles of children's social reasoning about individual agentive and deontic concerns. Tongan children (N = 140, 47.9% male), aged 4–8 years, were given a set of mentalistic (standard theory-of-mind) and deontic reasoning tasks. On average, children found diverse desires, knowledge access, hidden emotion, and belief emotion easier than the false-belief and diverse belief tasks. Tongan children were sensitive…
How I Remember My Mother’s Story
Stories that have not been personally experienced by children and are only told by their parents are called vicarious family stories. An emerging body of literature has shown that vicarious family stories are an important part of children’s narrative ecology. However, to date, only two studies from the same cross-cultural project have examined the role of culture in vicarious family stories. The aims of this study were to examine vicarious mother…
Toddlers’ Self-Recognition and Progression From Goal- to Emotion-Based Helping
Research has typically used cross-sectional designs to draw conclusions on the development of helping. This study aimed to examine the development of instrumental and empathic helping behaviors as they emerge, and assess how self-recognition might moderate this progression. Seventy-two children (14- to 25-months at T1) were assessed over four monthly sessions. Participants’ individual response patterns showed instrumental helping to be a necessar…
Use of a head camera to examine maternal input and its relation to 10- to 26-month-olds’ acquisition of mental and non-mental state vocabulary
We examined the relation between maternal responsiveness and children's acquisition of mental and non-mental state vocabulary in 59 pairs of mothers and children aged 10 to 26 months as they engaged in a free-play episode. Children wore a head camera and responsiveness was defined as maternal talk that commented on the child's actions (e.g., when the child reached for or manipulated an object visible in the head camera). As hypothesized, maternal…
The role of whānau (New Zealand Māori families) for Māori children’s early learning
The home-learning environment (HLE) is critical for young children's early learning skills, yet little research has focused on HLEs in indigenous communities. This study examined the role of the HLE of 41 whānau (New Zealand Māori families and community) in relation to their young children's (M = 4 years, 4 months) early learning skills. Parents were observed reading a picture book and reminiscing about past events with their children and reporte…
Variety in parental use of “want” relates to subsequent growth in children’s theory of mind
In 2 cross-lagged, longitudinal studies we contrasted parental talk about want in a single context versus multiple contexts. Study 1 examined thirty-two 2 year olds, with mothers describing pictures to children. Mothers could use want in zero, one, or multiple contexts. Children whose mothers used want in multiple contexts experienced a significantly larger gain in mental state terms over a 6-month period. Study 2 examined 50 preschoolers, measur…
Pacific university graduates in New Zealand
Increasing the numbers of Pacific Island students who graduate from New Zealand universities is important for the students' futures, their families, communities and society in general. In this study, Pacific graduates ( N = 365) who are participants in the Graduate Longitudinal Study New Zealand were asked to describe what factors helped or hindered their qualification completion. Graduates from all eight New Zealand universities were surveyed be…
Māori University success
Māori (Indigenous New Zealand) university graduates are role models for educational success and are critical for the social and economic wellbeing of Māori whānau (extended family) and communities. In this study, Māori graduates ( N = 626) from all eight New Zealand universities participated in the Graduate Longitudinal Study New Zealand between July and December 2011. They were asked to describe factors that they found helpful or challenging to …
Estimating language skills in Samoan- and Tongan-speaking children growing up in New Zealand
The MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventory (short form) was adapted for Samoan and Tongan speakers in New Zealand. The adaptation process drew upon language samples from Samoan and Tongan parent–child dyads with 20- and 26-month-old children and adult informants. The resulting 100-word language inventories in Samoan and Tongan, plus a single question about word combinations, were then administered to over 600 mothers of 2-year-olds i…
From Talk to Thought
In a sample of Pacific Island families living in New Zealand ( N = 45), this study tested the relation between caregivers' strength of ethnic identity and their use of desire, cognitive, and emotion language with their toddlers during a picture description task at 15, 20, 26, 33, and 39 months. Using multi-level growth modeling, caregivers' strength of ethnic identity predicted the change trajectories of caregivers' mental state talk over and abo…
Maternal reminiscing, elaborative talk, and children’s theory of mind
This study examined the impact of training mothers to talk elaboratively about the past on children’s understanding of mind. The researchers randomly assigned 102 mothers of 19-month-old children to a training or no-training group. Mothers in the experimental group received training in an elaborative style of talking about the past when children were 21, 25, and 29 months of age. Children were assessed on a battery of theory-of-mind tasks at 44 m…
Understanding the Self Through Siblings
This study addresses the role of sibling influence on social understanding in the second year of life, in a sample of families living in N ew Z ealand who identify as P acific I sland ( N = 43). We tested toddlers at 20 and 26 months on social understanding tasks, as well as their levels of self‐awareness on the S tipek self‐concept questionnaire. We hypothesized that the presence of siblings provides a rich resource from which to learn about the…
Stepping Stones to Others’ Minds
This continuation of a previous study (Taumoepeau & Ruffman, 2006) examined the longitudinal relation between maternal mental state talk to 15- and 24-month-olds and their later mental state language and emotion understanding (N= 74). The previous study found that maternal talk about the child’s desires to 15-month-old children uniquely predicted children’s mental state language and emotion task performance at 24 months. In the present study, at …
Mother and Infant Talk About Mental States Relates to Desire Language and Emotion Understanding
This study assessed the relation between mother mental state language and child desire language and emotion understanding in 15–24-month-olds. At both time points, mothers described pictures to their infants and mother talk was coded for mental and nonmental state language. Children were administered 2 emotion understanding tasks and their mental and nonmental state vocabulary levels were obtained via parental report. The results demonstrated tha…
The role of whānau (New Zealand Māori families) for Māori children’s early learning
The home-learning environment (HLE) is critical for young children's early learning skills, yet little research has focused on HLEs in indigenous communities. This study examined the role of the HLE of 41 whānau (New Zealand Māori families and community) in relation to their young children's (M = 4 years, 4 months) early learning skills. Parents were observed reading a picture book and reminiscing about past events with their children and reporte…
Understanding the Self Through Siblings
This study addresses the role of sibling influence on social understanding in the second year of life, in a sample of families living in N ew Z ealand who identify as P acific I sland ( N = 43). We tested toddlers at 20 and 26 months on social understanding tasks, as well as their levels of self‐awareness on the S tipek self‐concept questionnaire. We hypothesized that the presence of siblings provides a rich resource from which to learn about the…
We'll be okay together’
Queer university students face multiple stressors which can contribute to mental health difficulties, including minority stressors unique to their queer identities. However, there is little literature exploring stressors faced by queer individuals in university settings. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore the current challenges and strengths faced by queer university students in Aotearoa New Zealand, in order to contextualise thei…
Variety in parental use of “want” relates to subsequent growth in children’s theory of mind
In 2 cross-lagged, longitudinal studies we contrasted parental talk about want in a single context versus multiple contexts. Study 1 examined thirty-two 2 year olds, with mothers describing pictures to children. Mothers could use want in zero, one, or multiple contexts. Children whose mothers used want in multiple contexts experienced a significantly larger gain in mental state terms over a 6-month period. Study 2 examined 50 preschoolers, measur…
From Talk to Thought
In a sample of Pacific Island families living in New Zealand ( N = 45), this study tested the relation between caregivers' strength of ethnic identity and their use of desire, cognitive, and emotion language with their toddlers during a picture description task at 15, 20, 26, 33, and 39 months. Using multi-level growth modeling, caregivers' strength of ethnic identity predicted the change trajectories of caregivers' mental state talk over and abo…
Mother and Infant Talk About Mental States Relates to Desire Language and Emotion Understanding
This study assessed the relation between mother mental state language and child desire language and emotion understanding in 15–24-month-olds. At both time points, mothers described pictures to their infants and mother talk was coded for mental and nonmental state language. Children were administered 2 emotion understanding tasks and their mental and nonmental state vocabulary levels were obtained via parental report. The results demonstrated tha…
Stepping Stones to Others’ Minds
This continuation of a previous study (Taumoepeau & Ruffman, 2006) examined the longitudinal relation between maternal mental state talk to 15- and 24-month-olds and their later mental state language and emotion understanding (N= 74). The previous study found that maternal talk about the child’s desires to 15-month-old children uniquely predicted children’s mental state language and emotion task performance at 24 months. In the present study, at …
Maternal reminiscing, elaborative talk, and children’s theory of mind
This study examined the impact of training mothers to talk elaboratively about the past on children’s understanding of mind. The researchers randomly assigned 102 mothers of 19-month-old children to a training or no-training group. Mothers in the experimental group received training in an elaborative style of talking about the past when children were 21, 25, and 29 months of age. Children were assessed on a battery of theory-of-mind tasks at 44 m…
Understanding the Self Through Siblings
This study addresses the role of sibling influence on social understanding in the second year of life, in a sample of families living in N ew Z ealand who identify as P acific I sland ( N = 43). We tested toddlers at 20 and 26 months on social understanding tasks, as well as their levels of self‐awareness on the S tipek self‐concept questionnaire. We hypothesized that the presence of siblings provides a rich resource from which to learn about the…
Estimating language skills in Samoan- and Tongan-speaking children growing up in New Zealand
The MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventory (short form) was adapted for Samoan and Tongan speakers in New Zealand. The adaptation process drew upon language samples from Samoan and Tongan parent–child dyads with 20- and 26-month-old children and adult informants. The resulting 100-word language inventories in Samoan and Tongan, plus a single question about word combinations, were then administered to over 600 mothers of 2-year-olds i…
From Talk to Thought
In a sample of Pacific Island families living in New Zealand ( N = 45), this study tested the relation between caregivers' strength of ethnic identity and their use of desire, cognitive, and emotion language with their toddlers during a picture description task at 15, 20, 26, 33, and 39 months. Using multi-level growth modeling, caregivers' strength of ethnic identity predicted the change trajectories of caregivers' mental state talk over and abo…
Māori University success
Māori (Indigenous New Zealand) university graduates are role models for educational success and are critical for the social and economic wellbeing of Māori whānau (extended family) and communities. In this study, Māori graduates ( N = 626) from all eight New Zealand universities participated in the Graduate Longitudinal Study New Zealand between July and December 2011. They were asked to describe factors that they found helpful or challenging to …
Variety in parental use of “want” relates to subsequent growth in children’s theory of mind
In 2 cross-lagged, longitudinal studies we contrasted parental talk about want in a single context versus multiple contexts. Study 1 examined thirty-two 2 year olds, with mothers describing pictures to children. Mothers could use want in zero, one, or multiple contexts. Children whose mothers used want in multiple contexts experienced a significantly larger gain in mental state terms over a 6-month period. Study 2 examined 50 preschoolers, measur…
Pacific university graduates in New Zealand
Increasing the numbers of Pacific Island students who graduate from New Zealand universities is important for the students' futures, their families, communities and society in general. In this study, Pacific graduates ( N = 365) who are participants in the Graduate Longitudinal Study New Zealand were asked to describe what factors helped or hindered their qualification completion. Graduates from all eight New Zealand universities were surveyed be…
Toddlers’ Self-Recognition and Progression From Goal- to Emotion-Based Helping
Research has typically used cross-sectional designs to draw conclusions on the development of helping. This study aimed to examine the development of instrumental and empathic helping behaviors as they emerge, and assess how self-recognition might moderate this progression. Seventy-two children (14- to 25-months at T1) were assessed over four monthly sessions. Participants’ individual response patterns showed instrumental helping to be a necessar…
Use of a head camera to examine maternal input and its relation to 10- to 26-month-olds’ acquisition of mental and non-mental state vocabulary
We examined the relation between maternal responsiveness and children's acquisition of mental and non-mental state vocabulary in 59 pairs of mothers and children aged 10 to 26 months as they engaged in a free-play episode. Children wore a head camera and responsiveness was defined as maternal talk that commented on the child's actions (e.g., when the child reached for or manipulated an object visible in the head camera). As hypothesized, maternal…
The role of whānau (New Zealand Māori families) for Māori children’s early learning
The home-learning environment (HLE) is critical for young children's early learning skills, yet little research has focused on HLEs in indigenous communities. This study examined the role of the HLE of 41 whānau (New Zealand Māori families and community) in relation to their young children's (M = 4 years, 4 months) early learning skills. Parents were observed reading a picture book and reminiscing about past events with their children and reporte…
Could, would, should
This study examined the developmental profiles of children's social reasoning about individual agentive and deontic concerns. Tongan children (N = 140, 47.9% male), aged 4–8 years, were given a set of mentalistic (standard theory-of-mind) and deontic reasoning tasks. On average, children found diverse desires, knowledge access, hidden emotion, and belief emotion easier than the false-belief and diverse belief tasks. Tongan children were sensitive…
How I Remember My Mother’s Story
Stories that have not been personally experienced by children and are only told by their parents are called vicarious family stories. An emerging body of literature has shown that vicarious family stories are an important part of children’s narrative ecology. However, to date, only two studies from the same cross-cultural project have examined the role of culture in vicarious family stories. The aims of this study were to examine vicarious mother…
We'll be okay together’
Queer university students face multiple stressors which can contribute to mental health difficulties, including minority stressors unique to their queer identities. However, there is little literature exploring stressors faced by queer individuals in university settings. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore the current challenges and strengths faced by queer university students in Aotearoa New Zealand, in order to contextualise thei…
The View From a Social Constructivist Framework
Sexual and reproductive health knowledges
Pacific young people living in Aotearoa New Zealand experience disparities in their sexual and reproductive health outcomes, thought to stem from cultural differences and educational inequities. Although these barriers have been characterised in literature, their influence on Pacific youth's understandings of sexual and reproductive health have been relatively unexplored. This study investigated the sexual and reproductive health knowledge of Pac…
Mai mana
Taken together, our study demonstrated that Pacific peoples living in Aotearoa exhibit a range of personal, spiritual, and collective attributes that support their resilience, and we discuss the implications of these findings for our theories of resilience, especially for Indigenous groups. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)
Experiences of learning New Zealand sign language
In New Zealand, approximately 25% of hearing parents learn New Zealand sign language (NZSL) for their deaf children but little is known about the impact of this choice on hearing parents’ identities and their goals for their children’s socialization. Five hearing parents were interviewed about their identities as hearing parents and their sociation goals for their children. Four themes were produced from a reflexive thematic analysis of the inter…
Kia Tīmata Pai Video Project
This study investigated the impact of an educator-implemented oral language intervention, Enhancing Rich Interactions (ENRICH), on linguistic aspects of educator-toddler interactions. Twenty-four early childhood classrooms were assigned to either ENRICH or an Active Control condition; ENRICH educators received professional development in serve-and-return interactions. For book-reading, results revealed effects of ENRICH for educators' shorter con…
Psychology (16 obras) · Developmental psychology (12 obras) · Child and Animal Learning Development (8 obras) · Cognition (8 obras) · Cognitive psychology (6 obras) · Social Psychology (6 obras) · Early Childhood Education and Development (5 obras) · Language development (5 obras) · Linguistics (5 obras) · Sociology (5 obras)