The Relationship between Children's ToM and Their Social Loafing Behavior

Abstract

Researchers of Theory of Mind (ToM) have suggested that mental-state reasoning ability would likely affect the social functioning. However, research which has empirically documented the link between ToM and social loafing behavior is insufficient. Therefore, the current study attempts to explore how preschooler's ToM abilities and their social loafing behavior are related. This research measured children's ToM through three standard false-belief assessments. An individual as well as a 3-person group-performance condition sand shoveling task were used to measure children's social loafing behavior. Forty-eight preschoolers (ages 3-5 years) participated in the study. Results of the study indicated children's age contributed to their understanding of their own false-belief and others' false-belief significantly. However, the children's age had no significant effect on their expression of social loafing behavior. There is also no significant correlation between children's ToM ability and social loafing behavior. These findings differ from that of others done in other culture settings. Therefore, the researchers believe that cultural ingredients might be the factors that influence the social loafing behavior.