Guilt in young children: development, determinants, and relations with a broader system of standards

Grazyna Kochanska; Jami N Gross; Mei-Hua Lin; Kate E Nichols

doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00418

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Guilt in young children: development, determinants, and relations with a broader system of standards

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Guilt in young children: development, determinants, and relations with a broader system of standards

Grazyna Kochanska, Jami N Gross, Mei-Hua Lin and Kate E Nichols

Child development, Vol.73(2), pp.461-482

03/2002

DOI: 10.1111/1467-8624.00418

PMID: 11949903

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Abstract

In this comprehensive study of the early development of guilt, 106 children were observed in laboratory paradigms in which they were led to believe that they had damaged valuable objects, during two separate sessions at each of the assessments at 22, 33, and 45 months. The behavioral and affective components of guilt cohered significantly across the sessions, converged with each other, were stable across all the assessments, and corresponded modestly with maternal reports. Most components decreased with age, except for bodily tension, which increased. At 33 and 45 months, girls displayed more guilt than did boys. Children who were more fearful in typical fear-inducing paradigms also displayed more guilt. Children of mothers who relied on more power-assertive discipline, observed and self-reported, displayed less guilt. Guilt related positively to the development of self at 18 months and to moral self at 56 months. Children who displayed more guilt were less likely to violate rules of conduct at 56 months. A mediational model was supported: Fearful temperament contributed to guilt proneness, which in turn served to inhibit children's tendency to violate rules.

Affect

Child Behavior

Child, Preschool

Fear

Female

Gender Identity

Guilt

Humans

Infant

Internal-External Control

Longitudinal Studies

Male

Parenting - psychology

Personality Development

Self Concept

Socialization

Temperament

Details

Title: Subtitle: Guilt in young children: development, determinants, and relations with a broader system of standards
Creators: Grazyna Kochanska - Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242-1407, USA. grazyna-kochanska@uiowa.edu
Jami N Gross
Mei-Hua Lin
Kate E Nichols
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Child development, Vol.73(2), pp.461-482
DOI: 10.1111/1467-8624.00418
PMID: 11949903
NLM abbreviation: Child Dev
ISSN: 0009-3920
eISSN: 1467-8624
Grant note: KO2 MH01446 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 HD069171 / NICHD NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 03/2002
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Record Identifier: 9984213416402771

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