Abstract:

Research shows that young children’s ownership judgment depends on different cues. Three-year- olds can reason ownership based on cues such as first possession, labor, testimony, control of permission and some stereotypes. Social and cultural factors can influence children's use of different cues in ownership judgment. There might be some delay in using the first possession cue for children in less developed regions or countries. Children in collectivistic cultures tend to be more conservative, indicated by their favor of the cue of first possessor when it conflicts with the cue of labor. Future studies can examine the weights of different cues in children’s ownership judgment by using the conflicting cues paradigm. Furthermore, researchers can use eye tracking techniques to reveal younger children’s ownership cognition.

Key words: first possession, labor, testimony, control of permission, stereotypes, cross-cultural