The development of the "I don't know" response in early childhood emotion understanding: Relationship to the process of self-emotion understanding.

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K13292
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 10020:Educational psychology-related
• Research Institution: University of Toyama
• Principal Investigator: KONDO Tatsuaki 富山大学, 学術研究部教育学系, 講師 (50780970)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 幼児期 / 「わからない」反応 / 感情理解 / 自己 / 他者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we found two major findings.
(1) We clarified the reality of the "I don't know (DK)" response exhibited by young children (3-6 years old) and the cognitive mechanisms behind these age-related changes. In particular, it was suggested that the DK response declines with increasing age and that the "guessing" mechanism is behind this decline.
(2) We clarified differences in the frequency of the DK responses and their underlying subjective meanings in the emotional inference of self and others in adulthood (roughly around age 20). It was suggested that the response "I don't know other people's feelings" arises because of the cognitive distinction between self and others, and that the meaning of the DK response in self is different from that of the DK response in others.

Free Research Field

発達心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、（1）幼児期において認知メカニズムが発達するからこそ「わからない」反応をしなくなるというプロセスが存在している可能性があること、（2）「他者のことはわからない」ことは高次の認知プロセスが介在している可能性があること、を示唆している点に学術的意義を見いだせる。（1）に関しては、ある行動の生起頻度の低下に発達的変化を見いだすという認知発達領域でのインパクトが、（2）に関しては、他者感情を「わかる」ことを軸に検討されてきた「共感」や「心の理解」研究領域でのインパクトが、それぞれ見出せると言える。