De Effecten van Receptieve Woordenschat en Geslacht op Theory of Mind bij Kinderen van 3 tot 5 jaar

Abstract

An important aspect of children's social-cognitive development is the ability to put themselves in someone else's shoes (Theory of Mind, ToM). Children with a higher level of ToM seem to experience social benefits. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of receptive vocabulary and gender on ToM in Dutch children aged 3 to 5 years. It is important to conduct research on ToM in the preschool age, as this period is characterized as a critical period for ToM development. In addition, existing research is mainly limited to languages other than the Dutch language. Two tests were administered to 63 children. Receptive vocabulary was measured with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-III-NL). ToM was measured with the Dutch translated Theory of Mind Battery (ToM Battery). A stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed. In line with expectations, receptive vocabulary is a significant predictor of ToM, after controlling for age and multilingualism. So this means: the larger the receptive vocabulary, the higher the level of ToM. This relationship appears to be generalizable. Contrary to expectations, gender is not a significant predictor of ToM. A gender difference may arise in preadolescence, with girls possibly performing better on ToM tasks than boys. This current study aims to have contributed to new insights regarding the relationship between receptive vocabulary and ToM in Dutch children aged 3 to 5 years.