Age differences in temporal monitoring and equal sharing in a fixed-duration sharing task

Previous research has demonstrated age differences in prosocial behaviours and has focused on the development of theoretically prescribed cognitive abilities thought to be prerequisite. However, the empirical relations between cognitive abilities and prosocial behaviours have typically not been large and there has been considerable inconsistency in these findings. The present studies were based upon an information processing perspective that assumes task‐specific cognitive demands for prosocial behaviours. In these studies, the effect of children's temporal monitoring abilities was examined as a logical prerequisite for the equal sharing of a desirable object within a limited time period. In the first study, age differences in equal sharing were partially accounted for by age differences in the temporal monitoring abilities of 5–12‐year‐old‐children. In the second and third studies, 3–5‐year‐old preschool children shared more equally when there was a reduction in the cognitive demands involved in temporal monitoring. In addition, in all three studies motivational manipulations consisting of either an instructional set or the friendship status of the participating peer influenced equal sharing. These findings support the proposition that the range of prosocial behaviours available to children is limited by the development of task‐specific cognitive abilities, and that the motivation properties of the situation also influence the expression of prosocial behaviours.