2023/08/17 by Tiffany S. Leung, Guangyu Zeng, Sarah E. Maylott +3 · 1 voice · 3 citations
Neuroscience · Social Sciences · #Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment #Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy #Misinformation and Its Impacts
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/cdev.13983
openalex publication_date 2023/08/17 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/26
This study examined the development of children's avoidance and recognition of sickness using face photos from people with natural, acute, contagious illness. In a U.S. sample of fifty-seven 4- to 5-year-olds (46% male, 70% White), fifty-two 8- to 9-year-olds (26% male, 62% White), and 51 adults (59% male, 61% White), children and adults avoided and recognized sick faces (ds ranged from 0.38 to 2.26). Both avoidance and recognition improved with age. Interestingly, 4- to 5-year-olds' avoidance of sick faces positively correlated with their recognition, suggesting stable individual differences in these emerging skills. Together, these findings are consistent with a hypothesized immature but functioning and flexible behavioral immune system emerging early in development. Characterizing children's sickness perception may help design interventions to improve health.