The Development of Social Cognition

Presents a lively, up-to-date examination of both the classical issues and contemporary understanding of theory and research in social cognitive development. The initial chapters highlight one of the central, theoretical tensions in the field, which is whether the development of understanding people is fundamentally different from understanding things. Subsequent sections are devoted to development across specific areas of social cognition from infancy through to adolescence. These chapters survey the latest research into how children come to understand that transient internal states such as thoughts, desires and emotions, as well as more enduring traits such as personality, influence their own and others' behaviour. The text ends with a comprehensive examination of the development of moral aspects of social cognition.

This bookpresents a lively, up-to-date examination of both the classical issues and contemporary understanding of theory and research in social cognitive development.