Cognition And Development - Selmans Levels Of Perspective Flashcards
What is the difference between piaget and Selman ?
Piaget - > physical and social perspective-taking would occur hand in hand.
Selman -> development of social perspective-taking is a separate process.
Selman’s research 1971 procedure ?
30 boys and 30 girls took part – 20 aged 4, 20 aged 5, 20 aged 6.
• All were individually given a task designed to measure role-taking ability.
• This involved asking them how each person felt in a various scenario
What were the findings of selmans research ?
• A number of distinct levels of role taking were identified (see below).
• Selman found that the level of role-taking correlated with age, suggesting a clear
developmental sequence.
From stage 0 to 4 what are they
Stage 0 - socially egocentric
Stage 1 - social information role taking
Stage 2 - self reflective role taking
Stage 3 - mutual role taking
Stage 4 - social and conventional system role taking
What happens at the socially egocentric stage and at what age ?
3-6 years
The child cannot reliably distinguish between their own emotions and those of others.
Believe what is right for them is right for everyone
What happens in the social information role taking and at what age ?
child can tell the difference between their own point of view and that of another
Children understand that different perspectives may result because people have access to different information
What happens in the self reflective role taking stage and at what age ?
8-10 years
Child can put themselves in the position of others and view their own perspective (thoughts, feelings, emotions) from the other persons viewpoint.
What is mutual role taking and at what age does it occur ?
10-12 years
Children are now able to look at a situation from their own and another’s point of view at the same time.
Know other people can do the same
What happens in social and conventional system role taking and at what age does it occur ?
12 years +
Young people become able to see that sometimes understanding others’ viewpoints is not enough to allow people to reach agreement.
What are the three aspects of social development ?
Interpersonal understanding
Interpersonal negotiation strategies
Awareness of personal meaning of relationships
What is interpersonal understanding
– If we can take different roles then this shows we can understand social situations. This is what Selman measured in his earlier role-taking research.
What is interpersonal negotiation strategies ?
As well as understanding what others think in social situations, we also have to develop skills in how to respond to them. We develop social skills such as asserting our position and managing conflict.
What is awareness of personal meaning of relationships
As well as understanding what others think in social situations and how to manage them, social development also requires the ability to reflect on social behaviour in the context of life history and the full range of relationships.
What is one outcome of perspective taking ?
Deception
What does deception entail ?
child being able to plant a false belief in someone else’s mind. Eg Cole (1986) found that children of this age were able to hide their disappointment when they received the worst present (rather than the best one), if they were being watched by others, but they did show disappointment when filmed secretly on their own.
