Emotion understanding, theory of mind, and prosocial orientation: Relations over time in early childhood

Abstract

Data were collected when children were 42, 54, and 72 months of age (Ns = 210, 191, and 172 for T1, T2, and T3, respectively). Children's emotion understanding (EU) and theory of mind (ToM) were examined as predictors of children's prosocial orientation within and across time. EU positively related to children's sympathy across 2.5 years, and T1 EU positively related to parent-reported prosocial orientation concurrently and across 1 year (T2). T2 ToM positively related to parents’ reports of sympathy and prosocial orientation concurrently and 18 months later (T3); in contrast, T3 ToM did not relate to sympathy or prosocial orientation. T2 ToM accounted for marginally significant variance (p < 0.058) in T3 mother-reported prosocial orientation over and above that accounted for by T2 prosocial orientation. Fostering the development of EU and ToM may contribute to children's prosocial orientation.

Keywords:

• emotion understanding
• theory of mind
• prosocial behavior
• empathy
• sympathy

Notes

Notes

1. We explored if correlations between EU or ToM and prosocial orientation differed by children's sex. Fisher R to Z tests indicated no significant differences in correlations between boys and girls.

2. Results were very similar when age or sex was controlled.