What I Want and What You Want’

Children's Thinking about Competing Personal Preferences

Bibliographic Data

ID12686136
AuthorsMasha Komolova (University of Utah, corresponding author), Cecilia Wainryb (0000-0002-6031-4330, University of Utah)
Year2011
Volume20
Issue2
Pages334-352
Publication date2011-01-17
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial Development (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1467-9507 • E-ISSN: 0961-205X
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1467-9507.2010.00589.x
OpenAlexW2105197287
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited29

This study examined how children reason about competing personal preferences. Seventy‐two participants (mean ages 5 years 5 months, 10 years 4 months, and 17 years 7 months) considered three hypothetical scenarios in which a protagonist's personal preference was in conflict with her or his friend's personal preference. Scenarios varied in the relative weightiness of each character's desires. Whereas 5‐ and 10‐year‐olds prioritized the friend's preference across scenarios, 17‐year‐olds affirmed the character's prerogative to act according to her or his own preference except when the friend's preference was weightier. Nevertheless, regardless of age, participants generally reasoned about these situations in terms of autonomy and friendship rather than as moral obligations. The findings contribute to our understanding of how children of different ages work out the boundaries of the personal

Autonomy · Developmental psychology · Friendship · Moral development · Personal autonomy · Preference · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Child and Animal Learning Development · Cultural Differences and Values · Psychology · Social Psychology