PSYCHOLOGIA
Online ISSN : 1347-5916
Print ISSN : 0033-2852
ISSN-L : 0033-2852
IS THERE A DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCE IN RECOGNIZING HARM THROUGH ACTION AND INACTION (COMMISSION AND OMISSION) BASED ON FIRST-ORDER MENTAL STATES?
Hajimu HAYASHI
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JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2009 Volume 52 Issue 3 Pages 209-218

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate whether there is a developmental difference in recognizing acts of harm through action and inaction (commission and omission). Thirty-nine children who were 4- to 6-year-olds judged tasks with acts of commission or acts of omission based on first-order mental states. Participants were more likely to give correct responses to mental state questions and incorrect ones to moral judgment questions than the reverse pattern. However, the difference between commissions or omissions did not significantly affect the correct responses in any age group. These results suggest that there are no developmental differences in recognizing acts of commissions and omissions based on the understanding of mental states.

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© 2009 by the PSYCHOLOGIA SOCIETY
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