2-178 - Young Children’s Beliefs about and Responses to Apologies

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Most parents and caregivers expect children to attempt to make amends with the victim when they have committed a transgression. But we know surprisingly little about the effect these acts actually have on children who are victims of minor transgressions, or whether some ways of making amends are more effective than others. The three papers in this symposium explore young children’s beliefs about and responses to different types of apologies.

The first paper shows that 4- to 8-year-olds recognize that a speaker who provides incorrect information and then apologizes did not intend to mislead; however, the apology alone does not restore their trust in the speaker. The second paper shows that 4- to 9-year-olds believe that willingly-given apologies—even if they are prompted—convey that a transgressor feels remorse and will soothe a victim’s hurt feelings; they believe coerced apologies convey less remorse and will be less effective at making a victim feel better. The third paper shows that 6- and 7-year-olds’ expectations about how they will feel after a transgressor attempts to make amends may not match how they actually feel. For example, they expect that a spontaneous apology will be as effective at making them feel better as an offer of restitution when, in fact, the offer of restitution is more effective. These three papers will be discussed and placed into context by an expert in the development of social cognition.

Sub Unit

• Social Cognition

Chair

• Marissa Britt Drell, University of Virginia

Discussant

• Gail D Heyman, Univ of California-San Diego

Individual Presentations

• The Effect of Apology on Children’s Attribution of Intent to, and Trust in an Inaccurate Informant - Presenting Author: Samuel Ronfard, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Jonathan D. Lane, Harvard Graduate School of Education

• Say You’re Sorry: Children Distinguish Between Willingly-Given and Coerced Expressions of Remorse - Presenting Author: Craig E. Smith, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

• Making Amends: Children’s Expectations about and Responses to Apologies and Restitution - Presenting Author: Marissa Britt Drell, University of Virginia; Vikram K Jaswal, University of Virginia