| Abstract: | Each child observed a communication game in which two dolls sent messages to each other so that the listener doll could pick out a matching card.Allocations and justifications of blame were examined as a function of the age of the child, adequacy of message, correctness of choice, and seating position. The results were generally consistent with two propositions. Younger children passed judgements as though they were asking themselves whether the message sent was inconsistent with the speaker's card — only when this was so was the speaker blamed. Older children blamed the speaker and cited the inadequacy of the message whenever the message did not identify the speaker's card uniquely, even when communication was successful. |
