Abstract
Studied developmental changes in the conceptualization of empathy by testing and interviewing 16 kindergartners, 16 1st graders, and 16 4th graders. All age groups expected a child to empathize with liked peers more than with disliked peers. Whereas kindergartners expected emotional reactions to be equally strong in response to both types of peers, older Ss predicted weak and qualified empathic reactions to disliked peers. Taken in conjunction with the Ss' explanations of their emotion choices, this result suggests age differences with regard to the integration of separate items of information; few kindergartners knew how to control empathic arousal purely by means of thoughts. Mentalistic strategies used by older Ss to maximize or minimize empathic arousal are discussed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1001-1012 |
| Journal | Child Development |
| Volume | 58 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 1987 |
Subject classification (UKÄ)
- Psychology