In order to extend research on children's Theory of Mind (ToM) within moral development, researchers have proposed a novel area of research, Morally Relevant ToM. It has been argued to better account for the moral and social considerations that children are required to make when using their ToM abilities in real life situations. To further the…

This article reviews research conducted on social comparison processes in the classroom since Festinger proposed his theory of social comparison. It covers the theoretical framework of social comparison theory, and it is organized around the following themes: motives for social comparison, dimensions of social comparison, direction of social…

Children face many important changes in the first eight years of life, including different learning centres, social groups, roles and expectations. Their ability to adapt to such a dynamic and evolving environment directly affects their sense of identity and status within their community over the short and long term. In particular, the key turning…

Using a stochastic model, shows that Chodorow's theory on the reproduction of mothering does not work. According to Chodorow, daughters become more nurturing than sons because mothers do more nurturing than fathers; this becomes a self-reproducing cycle. However, this theory does not sustain a sex differential in nurturing. Considers strategies…

Reviews current research on play. Notes different theoretical explanations and maintains no adequate general theory of play exists. Covers such areas as: (1) the effects of toys on play, (2) categories of play, (3) the influence of parents and educators on play, (4) mental activity and play, and (5) factors related to play intensity. (JDH)

Discusses how communal norms, which emerge gradually across childhood, are a product of social exchanges characteristic of relationships with family members and friends. Distinguishes between communal and exchange relationships. Reviews theoretical and empirical work on adults' use of communal norms and speculates on their developmental…

This article presents a broad ranging philosophical and theoretical argument for improving the education of young children through a greater understanding of developmental child psychology. Notes that play is essential for individual mental development, and must be used in educational settings. Maintains that pure scientific research is simply a…

"Scripts" are ways of describing the knowledge a person must have in order to understand the appropriate response in a given situation. In this document, literature on the ways in which children acquire scripts for social behavior through interaction with others is reviewed, and some departures from script theory are discussed. It is…