Exoneration reduces adult conflict's effects on preschoolers' cognitions, behavioral distress, and physiology

In this experiment, the authors investigated the influence of exoneration from blame on children's overt behavioral distress and physiological reactivity following the presentation of overheard adult conflict. The participants were 48 children (48-71 months of age) and their mothers. Through random assignment, the authors presented 16 children with statements that exonerated them from an overheard disagreement between two adults, did not address 16 during a similar disagreement, and presented 16 with a neutral discussion of difficulties. Exonerated children responded with less distress than did nonaddressed children, but did not differ from children presented the neutral discussion, except for overt behavioral distress. Nonaddressed children most often blamed themselves for the argument. Exonerating statements may protect children from attributional error and resultant physiological arousal during adult conflict.