The ability to linguistically refer to internal states emerges early in human development and is considered by several scholars as an important indicator of the emergence of a 'theory of mind' in children (Bretherton & Beeghly, 1982; Shatz, Wellman, Silber, 1983; Wellman, 1991, Camaioni e Longobardi, 1997). Self-awareness may play a role in highlighting the difference between one’s own and other’s internal states. Mothers of thirty 18-month-olds were asked to report their children's first spontaneous reference to perceptual, physiological, emotional, volitional and cognitive states. The children were administered an experimental task assessing three aspects of self-awareness: the ability to recognize oneself on the mirror, the ability to refer to self through the pointing gesture and the ability to linguistically refer to self. Mothers reported that their children used different types of labels to refer to internal states. Most frequently used were terms for perceptual, physiological and emotional states. The task evaluating self-awareness and the ability to label internal states resulted to be positively associated. Children who obtained a higher score on the self-awareness task were better able to refer to internal states also. It is suggested that the organizational role played by the self at age 18 months may contribute to the association between self-awareness and the ability to refer to psychological experience through language.
Primi riferimenti a stati interni e consapevolezza di Sé nel secondo anno di vita / Bellagamba, Francesca. - In: RIVISTA DI PSICOLINGUISTICA APPLICATA. - ISSN 1592-1328. - IV, 1:(2004), pp. 93-100.
Primi riferimenti a stati interni e consapevolezza di Sé nel secondo anno di vita.
BELLAGAMBA, Francesca
2004
Abstract
The ability to linguistically refer to internal states emerges early in human development and is considered by several scholars as an important indicator of the emergence of a 'theory of mind' in children (Bretherton & Beeghly, 1982; Shatz, Wellman, Silber, 1983; Wellman, 1991, Camaioni e Longobardi, 1997). Self-awareness may play a role in highlighting the difference between one’s own and other’s internal states. Mothers of thirty 18-month-olds were asked to report their children's first spontaneous reference to perceptual, physiological, emotional, volitional and cognitive states. The children were administered an experimental task assessing three aspects of self-awareness: the ability to recognize oneself on the mirror, the ability to refer to self through the pointing gesture and the ability to linguistically refer to self. Mothers reported that their children used different types of labels to refer to internal states. Most frequently used were terms for perceptual, physiological and emotional states. The task evaluating self-awareness and the ability to label internal states resulted to be positively associated. Children who obtained a higher score on the self-awareness task were better able to refer to internal states also. It is suggested that the organizational role played by the self at age 18 months may contribute to the association between self-awareness and the ability to refer to psychological experience through language.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.