Developmental/IHD Seminar: March 7, Adrienne Wente

Desire as a constraint on young children’s reasoning

This talk will explore how desires constrain young children’s reasoning.  Three studies will be discussed. The first explores overoptimism in children, the second explores the relationship between children’s beliefs about free will and self-control, and the thirdlooks at how culture influences children’s concept of choice.  Taken together, these studies suggest that desires initially constrain young children’s reasoning, and this constraint is counteracted through culturally variable experience.


This talk will be held in  3105 Tolman, 12:00-1:30pm.