Cultural and family influences on children's theory of mind development: A comparison of Australian and Iranian school-age children

Journal article


Shahaeian, Ameneh, Nielsen, Mark, Peterson, Candida and Slaughter, Virginia. (2014). Cultural and family influences on children's theory of mind development: A comparison of Australian and Iranian school-age children. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. 45(4), pp. 555 - 568. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022113513921
AuthorsShahaeian, Ameneh, Nielsen, Mark, Peterson, Candida and Slaughter, Virginia
Abstract

Over the past three decades, considerable research effort has been expended charting how and when children develop an understanding of others’ minds. Multicultural studies allow us to determine what features of this important cognitive developmental achievement might be universal and what aspects are culturally specific. However, the body of literature in this area is slim and unsystematic. The current study therefore aimed to contrast and compare the sequence through which Western and non-Western children develop a theory of mind (ToM). One hundred sixty-four 3- to 9-year-old children from Australia and Iran were assessed using an expanded ToM Scale. Although children from both cultures had equivalent overall ToM scores, more Australian children showed an understanding of diversity of beliefs and desires whereas more Iranian children understood knowledge access and sarcasm. This study is the first to compare Western and non-Western children’s ToM development with a battery of ToM Scale tasks extended to include sarcasm. The cross-cultural similarities and differences revealed allow a deeper understanding of universal and culturally specific aspects of social-cognitive development.

Year2014
JournalJournal of Cross-Cultural Psychology
Journal citation45 (4), pp. 555 - 568
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc.
ISSN0022-0221
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022113513921
Scopus EID2-s2.0-84898678798
Page range555 - 568
Research GroupInstitute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education (ILSTE)
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
Place of publicationUnited States of America
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/85858/cultural-and-family-influences-on-children-s-theory-of-mind-development-a-comparison-of-australian-and-iranian-school-age-children

Restricted files

Publisher's version

  • 127
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 5
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Maternal interactive beliefs and style as predictors of language development in preterm and full term children
Younesian, Sharifeh, Eivers, Areana, Shahaeian, Ameneh, Sullivan, Karen and Gilmore, Linda. (2020). Maternal interactive beliefs and style as predictors of language development in preterm and full term children. Journal of Child Language. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305000920000148
Developmental diversity in mindreading and metacognition
Kim, Sunae, Shahaeian, Ameneh and Proust, Joelle. (2018). Developmental diversity in mindreading and metacognition. In In J. Proust and M. Fortier (Ed.). Metacognitive Diversity: An Interdisciplinary Approach pp. 97 - 133 Oxford Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198789710.001.0001
Early predictors of escalating internalizing problems across middle childhood
Wang, Cen, Williams, Kate N. and Shahaeian, Ameneh. (2018). Early predictors of escalating internalizing problems across middle childhood. School Psychology Quarterly. 33(2), pp. 200 - 212. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000218
Early shared reading, socioeconomic status, and children’s cognitive and school competencies : Six years of longitudinal evidence
Shahaeian, Ameneh, Wang, Cen, Tucker-Drob, Elliot, Geiger, Vince, Bus, Adriana G. and Harrison, Linda J.. (2018). Early shared reading, socioeconomic status, and children’s cognitive and school competencies : Six years of longitudinal evidence. Scientific Studies of Reading. 22(6), pp. 485-502. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888438.2018.1482901
Understanding relational aggression during early childhood: an examination of the association with language and other social and cognitive skills
Shahaeian, Ameneh, Razmjoee, Maryam, Wang, Chen, Elliott, Stephen and Hughes, Claire. (2017). Understanding relational aggression during early childhood: an examination of the association with language and other social and cognitive skills. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. 40, pp. 204 - 214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2017.04.002
The combined effects of teacher-child and peer relationships on children's social-emotional adjustment
Wang, Cen, Hatzigianni, Maria, Shahaeian, Ameneh, Murray, Elizabeth and Harrison, Linda J.. (2016). The combined effects of teacher-child and peer relationships on children's social-emotional adjustment. Journal of School Psychology. 59, pp. 1 - 11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2016.09.003
Language development mediates the relationship between gender and relational aggression: A study of Iranian preschool children
Razmjoee, Maryam, Harnett, Paul H. and Shahaeian, Ameneh. (2016). Language development mediates the relationship between gender and relational aggression: A study of Iranian preschool children. Australian Journal of Psychology. 68(4), pp. 312 - 318. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajpy.12109
Towards a better understanding of the relationship between executive control and theory of mind : An intra-cultural comparison of three diverse samples
Shahaeian, Ameneh, Henry, Julie, Razmjoee, Maryam, Teymoori, Ali and Wang, Cen. (2015). Towards a better understanding of the relationship between executive control and theory of mind : An intra-cultural comparison of three diverse samples. Developmental Science (online version). 18(5), pp. 671 - 685. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12243
Intelligibility in Context Scale: Normative and validation data for English- speaking preschoolers
Mcleod, Sharynne, Crowe, Kathryn and Shahaeian, Ameneh. (2015). Intelligibility in Context Scale: Normative and validation data for English- speaking preschoolers. Language, Speech and Hearing Services in Schools. 46, pp. 226 - 276. https://doi.org/10.1044/2015_LSHSS-14-0120
Sibling, family, and social influences on children's theory of mind understanding : New evidence from diverse intracultural samples
Shahaeian, Ameneh. (2015). Sibling, family, and social influences on children's theory of mind understanding : New evidence from diverse intracultural samples. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. 46(6), pp. 805 - 820. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022115583897
Iranian mothers' disciplinary strategies and theory of mind in children : A focus on belief understanding
Shahaeian, Ameneh, Nielsen, Mark, Peterson, Candida and Slaughter, Virginia. (2014). Iranian mothers' disciplinary strategies and theory of mind in children : A focus on belief understanding. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. 45(7), pp. 1110 - 1123. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022114534772
Knowledge and belief understanding among Iranian and Australian preschool children
Shahaeian, Ameneh, Nielsen, Mark, Peterson, Candida C., Aboutalebi, Maedeh and Slaughter, Virginia. (2014). Knowledge and belief understanding among Iranian and Australian preschool children. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. 45(10), pp. 1643 - 1654. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022114548484
The short-term impact of a problem-solving skills programme for Iranian parents
Shokoohi-Yekta, Mohsen, Harnett, Paul, Parand, Akram and Shahaeian, Ameneh. (2011). The short-term impact of a problem-solving skills programme for Iranian parents. Clinical Psychologist. 15(2), pp. 85 - 89. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1742-9552.2011.00027.x
Culture and the sequence of steps in theory of mind development
Shahaeian, Ameneh, Peterson, Candida, Slaughter, Virginia and Wellman, Henry. (2011). Culture and the sequence of steps in theory of mind development. Developmental Psychology. 47(5), pp. 1239 - 1247. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0023899