Selman and Perspective Taking
Cards (8)
- level 0
- socially egocentric
- 3-6 years old
- assumes everyone else thinks the same way
- can identify emotions but not causes
- level 1
- social information role taking
- 6-8 years old
- recognise people may have different perspectives but assume this is due to lack of information
- can only take on viewpoint at a time
- level 2
- self reflective role taking
- 8-10 years old
- can appreciate others' views well and can view self from another point of view
- but can still only see one perspective at a time
- level 3
- mutual role taking
- 10-12 years old
- can understand multiple points of view at the same time and consider how a neutral 3rd person would see it
- level 4
- social and conventional system role-taking
- 12+ years old
- decisions made with reference to social norms and values
- understanding that understanding others' viewpoints isn't enough, which is why systems and conventions are needed
- similar to Piaget, Selman proposed that progressions through these stages is due to both maturity and experience, thereby taking a more holistic view of development
- research support for age-related changes
- significant positive correlations were found between age and ability to take different perspectives in scenarios
- longitudinal follow up studies have shown that perspective-taking develops with age in each individual child
- this shows that his earlier cross-sectional research was not simply the result of individual differences in social cognitive ability in children in different groups
- this is a strength because Selman's ideas are both based on solid research and supported by a range of studies
- real world applications
- if children with poor perspective taking skills struggle more with relationships, we might be able to support them by training them in perspective taking
- schools and prisons can use this to support children with friendships and offenders with empathy
- Selman's theory has positive implications for wider society