The contributions of language and inhibitory control to false belief reasoning over time
IntroductionThe role of language in false belief reasoning has been much debated for twenty-five years or more, especially the relative contributions of general language development, complement syntax, vocabulary, and executive function. However, the empirical studies so far have fallen short, in th...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1455941/full |
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| author | Jill G. de Villiers Peter de Villiers |
| author_facet | Jill G. de Villiers Peter de Villiers |
| author_sort | Jill G. de Villiers |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThe role of language in false belief reasoning has been much debated for twenty-five years or more, especially the relative contributions of general language development, complement syntax, vocabulary, and executive function. However, the empirical studies so far have fallen short, in that they generally have too few participants for adequate statistical modeling; they do not include control variables; or they are cross-sectional rather than longitudinal, making inferences about causal direction much more tenuous.MethodsThe present study considers the role of these different variables in the development of false belief reasoning over several months of testing, with 258 children aged three to five years. The children are also from under-resourced communities, broadening the populations that generally contribute such data.ResultsA cross-sectional and a longitudinal regression analysis reveals the contribution of each variable to the children’s success on the false belief measures. Finally, a structural equation model tests the relative contribution of the different potential factors over time, how they interact, and change. The model is an excellent fit to the data. Inhibitory control, complement comprehension and vocabulary all have effects on false belief reasoning at the first time point (T1). However, at T3, the major proximal contribution is the child’s comprehension of complements, though the longitudinal pathways of vocabulary and inhibitory control also pave the way.DiscussionOur data confirm the specific contribution of complement syntax but also makes clear, as do training studies, that a certain amount of preparedness in vocabulary and in executive function skills is also necessary. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7eca3c8dc8bf47df96f0293fcb1e4f31 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-7eca3c8dc8bf47df96f0293fcb1e4f312025-01-17T15:26:55ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-01-011510.3389/fpsyg.2024.14559411455941The contributions of language and inhibitory control to false belief reasoning over timeJill G. de VilliersPeter de VilliersIntroductionThe role of language in false belief reasoning has been much debated for twenty-five years or more, especially the relative contributions of general language development, complement syntax, vocabulary, and executive function. However, the empirical studies so far have fallen short, in that they generally have too few participants for adequate statistical modeling; they do not include control variables; or they are cross-sectional rather than longitudinal, making inferences about causal direction much more tenuous.MethodsThe present study considers the role of these different variables in the development of false belief reasoning over several months of testing, with 258 children aged three to five years. The children are also from under-resourced communities, broadening the populations that generally contribute such data.ResultsA cross-sectional and a longitudinal regression analysis reveals the contribution of each variable to the children’s success on the false belief measures. Finally, a structural equation model tests the relative contribution of the different potential factors over time, how they interact, and change. The model is an excellent fit to the data. Inhibitory control, complement comprehension and vocabulary all have effects on false belief reasoning at the first time point (T1). However, at T3, the major proximal contribution is the child’s comprehension of complements, though the longitudinal pathways of vocabulary and inhibitory control also pave the way.DiscussionOur data confirm the specific contribution of complement syntax but also makes clear, as do training studies, that a certain amount of preparedness in vocabulary and in executive function skills is also necessary.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1455941/fulltheory-of-mindcomplementsstructural equationlanguageinhibitory controllongitudinal |
| spellingShingle | Jill G. de Villiers Peter de Villiers The contributions of language and inhibitory control to false belief reasoning over time Frontiers in Psychology theory-of-mind complements structural equation language inhibitory control longitudinal |
| title | The contributions of language and inhibitory control to false belief reasoning over time |
| title_full | The contributions of language and inhibitory control to false belief reasoning over time |
| title_fullStr | The contributions of language and inhibitory control to false belief reasoning over time |
| title_full_unstemmed | The contributions of language and inhibitory control to false belief reasoning over time |
| title_short | The contributions of language and inhibitory control to false belief reasoning over time |
| title_sort | contributions of language and inhibitory control to false belief reasoning over time |
| topic | theory-of-mind complements structural equation language inhibitory control longitudinal |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1455941/full |
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