关键词: 道德承诺, 信任判断, 学龄前儿童

Abstract: Trust is a fundamental aspect of social interaction and development, significantly impacting children's physical and mental well-being, as well as their social engagement. Previous research has shown that young children do not trust others indiscriminately; instead, they make selective trust judgments based on available information. Characteristics of the speaker, such as ability, benevolence, and integrity, as outlined in Mayer et al.'s trust model, influence these judgments. While much research has focused on the effects of ability and benevolence, integrity—which involves adherence to promises, fairness, and justice—has received less attention. This study specifically examines how the act of keeping or breaking promises influences young children's trust judgments.
Two experiments using the selective trust paradigm were conducted to explore this issue. A sample size of 100 children was determined to be necessary for an effect size of w = 0.30, α = 0.05, and 1 - β = 0.85, calculated using G*Power 3.1. In Experiment 1, a 3 (age: 3, 4, and 5 years) × 2 (moral valence of promises: moral vs. immoral) × 2 (fulfillment of promises: kept vs. broken) × 2 (context: declarative vs. promising) mixed factorial design was used. Age was a between-subjects variable, while moral valence, fulfillment, and context were within-subjects variables. This experiment involved 118 preschoolers (62 girls, Mean age = 4.99 years, SD = 0.78) in a binary choice paradigm, using four conflict scenarios to examine their trust judgments based on whether promises were kept or broken. Experiment 2 employed a single choice paradigm with 112 preschoolers (57 girls, Mean age = 4.94 years, SD = 0.80), presenting them with four stories to assess their level of trust.
Results from Experiment 1 revealed that preschoolers selectively trusted promisors who kept moral promises and those who broke immoral promises, as well as their subsequent assertions and new promises. Older children (5.5~6.5 years) were more likely to trust promisors who kept moral promises and those who broke immoral promises compared to younger children (3.5~4.5 years). Additionally, preschoolers were more accurate in their trust judgments towards promisors who kept moral promises than those who broke immoral promises. Experiment 2 further revealed significant differences in trust levels: kept moral promise > broke immoral promise > broke moral promise ≈ kept immoral promise.
This study is the first to examine the development of trust judgment regarding moral promises in preschoolers aged 3.5~6.5 years. The findings indicate that preschoolers consider both the moral valence and fulfillment of promises when making trust judgments. As they mature, preschoolers increasingly trust promisors who keep moral promises and those who break immoral promises. Moreover, the highest trust levels were found for promisors who kept moral promises, followed by those who broke immoral promises, with the least trust placed in promisors who broke moral promises or kept immoral promises. These results offer valuable insights into the development of moral understanding and trust judgments in young children.

Key words: moral promise, trust judgement, preschoolers