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Young children mostly keep, and expect others to keep, their promises.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Kanngiesser, P; Köymen, B; Tomasello, M
Published in: Journal of experimental child psychology
July 2017

Promises are speech acts that create an obligation to do the promised action. In three studies, we investigated whether 3- and 5-year-olds (N=278) understand the normative implications of promising in prosocial interactions. In Study 1, children helped a partner who promised to share stickers. When the partner failed to uphold the promise, 3- and 5-year-olds protested and referred to promise norms. In Study 2, when children in this same age range were asked to promise to continue a cleaning task-and they agreed-they persisted longer on the task and mentioned their obligation more frequently than without such a promise. They also persisted longer after a promise than after a cleaning reminder (Study 3). In prosocial interactions, thus, young children feel a normative obligation to keep their promises and expect others to keep their promises as well.

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Published In

Journal of experimental child psychology

DOI

EISSN

1096-0457

ISSN

0022-0965

Publication Date

July 2017

Volume

159

Start / End Page

140 / 158

Related Subject Headings

  • Verbal Behavior
  • Speech Perception
  • Social Values
  • Social Responsibility
  • Social Behavior
  • Male
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Humans
  • History, Medieval
  • Female
 

Citation

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Kanngiesser, P., Köymen, B., & Tomasello, M. (2017). Young children mostly keep, and expect others to keep, their promises. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 159, 140–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2017.02.004
Kanngiesser, Patricia, Bahar Köymen, and Michael Tomasello. “Young children mostly keep, and expect others to keep, their promises.Journal of Experimental Child Psychology 159 (July 2017): 140–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2017.02.004.
Kanngiesser P, Köymen B, Tomasello M. Young children mostly keep, and expect others to keep, their promises. Journal of experimental child psychology. 2017 Jul;159:140–58.
Kanngiesser, Patricia, et al. “Young children mostly keep, and expect others to keep, their promises.Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, vol. 159, July 2017, pp. 140–58. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.jecp.2017.02.004.
Kanngiesser P, Köymen B, Tomasello M. Young children mostly keep, and expect others to keep, their promises. Journal of experimental child psychology. 2017 Jul;159:140–158.
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of experimental child psychology

DOI

EISSN

1096-0457

ISSN

0022-0965

Publication Date

July 2017

Volume

159

Start / End Page

140 / 158

Related Subject Headings

  • Verbal Behavior
  • Speech Perception
  • Social Values
  • Social Responsibility
  • Social Behavior
  • Male
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Humans
  • History, Medieval
  • Female