Dr. Michal Perlman

Professor, University of Toronto and Director, Dr. R.G.N. Laidlaw Research Centre, University of Toronto

Curriculum vitae

416-978-0596

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE)

University of Toronto

252 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5S 1V6

Sibling cognitive sensitivity as a moderator of the relationship between sibship size and children's theory of mind: A longitudinal analysis

Journal article

Heather Prime, André Plamondon, Sharon Pauker, Michal Perlman, Jennifer M. Jenkins
Cognitive Development, vol. 39, Elsevier {BV}, 2016 Jul, pp. 93--102

DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2016.03.005

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Cite

APA Click to copy
Prime, H., Plamondon, A., Pauker, S., Perlman, M., & Jenkins, J. M. (2016). Sibling cognitive sensitivity as a moderator of the relationship between sibship size and children's theory of mind: A longitudinal analysis. Cognitive Development, 39, 93–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2016.03.005

Chicago/Turabian Click to copy
Prime, Heather, André Plamondon, Sharon Pauker, Michal Perlman, and Jennifer M. Jenkins. “Sibling Cognitive Sensitivity as a Moderator of the Relationship between Sibship Size and Children's Theory of Mind: A Longitudinal Analysis.” Cognitive Development 39 (July 2016): 93–102.

MLA Click to copy
Prime, Heather, et al. “Sibling Cognitive Sensitivity as a Moderator of the Relationship between Sibship Size and Children's Theory of Mind: A Longitudinal Analysis.” Cognitive Development, vol. 39, Elsevier {BV}, July 2016, pp. 93–102, doi:10.1016/j.cogdev.2016.03.005.

BibTeX Click to copy

@article{prime2016a,
  title = {Sibling cognitive sensitivity as a moderator of the relationship between sibship size and children's theory of mind: A longitudinal analysis},
  year = {2016},
  month = jul,
  journal = {Cognitive Development},
  pages = {93--102},
  publisher = {Elsevier {BV}},
  volume = {39},
  doi = {10.1016/j.cogdev.2016.03.005},
  author = {Prime, Heather and Plamondon, André and Pauker, Sharon and Perlman, Michal and Jenkins, Jennifer M.},
  month_numeric = {7}
}

Abstract

Inconsistent findings regarding the association between sibship size (i.e., number of children in the home) and children’s theory of mind led us to hypothesize a moderating role for quality of sibling interactions. In line with a parental resource dilution framework, it was expected that coming from a large sibship (3+ children) would be associated with lower theory of mind scores in the absence of a cognitively sensitive older sibling. Data were collected from 385 children and their next in age older siblings: at Time 1 children were 3.15 years (SD = 0.27) and their older siblings were 5.57 years (SD = 0.77). Children were, on average, 1.65 years older at Time 2. A longitudinal design, wherein theory of mind (Time 2) was predicted while controlling for earlier theory of mind (Time 1), was used to support directionality of effects. Results indicated that sibship size was negatively related to theory of mind at low but not high levels of sibling cognitive sensitivity. Findings suggest a compensatory role for cognitively sensitive older siblings in large families and highlight the need to consider process-based features of sibships.