The Influences of Goal-Related Actions and Goal Information on Children's Effort and Ability Perceptions in Interpersonal Situations

Abstract

Abstract The influences of qualitatively different goal-related actions and goal valence information on children's perceptions of effort and ability in an interpersonal judgment context were investigated, using Heider's (1958) analysis of action theory as a conceptual framework. Kindergartners, 2nd graders, and 5th graders heard stories that depicted actors engaged in 3 repetitive actions or 3 equifinal actions in order to attain either a positive or negative interpersonal goal. For each story, children judged the actor's effort expenditure and ability level. Results indicate that repetitive actors were perceived to have tried less and to have had less ability than equifinal actors. Kindergartners' mean rating of the ability of repetitive actors was higher than those of 2nd graders and 5th graders. Positive goal actors were perceived to have more ability than negative goal actors.