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| The Relationship between Behavioral Inhibition and Sharing Behavior in Preschoolers: The Moderating Effect of Emotion Understanding |
| HAN Jin-jing1,2 ZHAI Shu-yi1(corresponding author) HE Jie1(corresponding author) |
| 1. Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310028 2. Hangzhou No.15 Middle School Education Group, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000 |
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Abstract Behavioral inhibition (BI) has been considered as a precursor of children’s low in prosocial behaviors. However, little is known about the relation between BI and sharing, a typical prosocial behavior that plays a crucial role in children’s social development. Meanwhile, emotion understanding (EU) is also plays an important role in the development of prosocial behaviors. Children equipped with better EU are more likely to display prosocial behaviors. Thus, the current research explored the relation between BI and sharing behavior and the potential moderate effect of EU. In Study 1, 94 preschoolers aged 4 to 5 years completed the indicator game for sharing behavior and the Test of Emotion Comprehension for General EU, and their parents completed the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire for BI. In study 2, we explored the effect of EU for recipients in the situation of sharing on relation between BI and sharing behavior among 86 preschoolers aged 4 to 5 years. Results showed that BI was negatively correlated with preschoolers’ sharing behavior. Neither General EU nor EU for recipients in sharing situations was correlated with sharing behavior. However, both of them moderate the relation between BI and sharing behavior. Specifically, for children with worse General EU or less clearly differentiation of recipient’s emotional states between sharing and non-sharing events, the higher BI they had, the less they shared with others. The current research found the relation between BI and sharing behavior and the moderating role of EU. It suggested that for highly inhibited children, it is necessary to cultivate their EU to promote their sharing behavior.
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Published: 23 November 2021
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