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Hu Y, Cui G, Jiang L, Lan X. Downward social comparison positively promotes altruism: the multi-mediating roles of belief in a just world and general life satisfaction. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1386860. [PMID: 38984281 PMCID: PMC11232534 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1386860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction This study examined the underlying mechanism of the relationship between downward social comparison (DSC) and altruism through two conceptually important but rarely studied factors: belief in a just world (BJW) and general life satisfaction (GLS). Methods The study utilized a two-time-point design, spaced 2 months apart, with a sample of 1,764 college students from China. The study measured DSC, altruism, BJW, and GLS. Results The findings revealed a significant positive predictive effect of DSC on college students' altruism and belief in a just world (BJW). Notably, GLS emerged as a multi-mediating factor in this relationship. The study also revealed that both subscales of BJW, namely personal belief in a just world (PBJW) and general belief in a just world (GBJW), played distinct roles in the mediation model. PBJW exhibited a stronger mediating effect, suggesting that DSC can foster individual altruism and BJW. Particularly, BJW was identified as enhancing GLS, subsequently promoting altruistic behavior. Conclusion This study contributes to the existing literature on social comparison by shedding light on the relationship between DSC, altruism, and the mediating role of belief in a just world and GLS. The findings underscore the potential for promoting altruistic behavior among college students through interventions targeting beliefs in a just world, especially at the personal level, and enhancing GLS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjun Hu
- Department of Students' Affairs, Wenzhou University of Technology, Wenzhou, China
| | - Guanyu Cui
- Research Center for Psychology and Behavior, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Linxi Jiang
- Research Center for Psychology and Behavior, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Lan
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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2
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Marchetti V, Panno A, Scopelliti M, Romano L, Angelini G, Rinallo E, Barni D, Fiorilli C. Trait emotional intelligence and ecological outcomes: the role of connectedness to nature. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:201. [PMID: 38609991 PMCID: PMC11010389 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01679-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Global climate change is recognized as a major and irreversible challenge for humanity, requiring people's responsible and sustainable behaviors toward the environment. So far, the literature has widely investigated the role of cognitive determinants of ecological outcomes (e.g., pro-environmental behaviors and climate change perception), while less attention has been devoted to emotional processes, such as trait emotional intelligence (TEI). The current double study investigates whether TEI is directly and indirectly associated with climate change perception (CCP, Study 1) and pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs, Study 2) among young adults. Furthermore, the mediating role of connectedness to nature (CN), both as cognitive and emotional factors, was also analyzed. We hypothesized that CN (i.e., cognitive mediator) would positively mediate the relationship between TEI and CCP (H1), and Love and Care for Nature (LCN, i.e., emotional mediator) would positively mediate the relationship between TEI and PEBs (H2). METHODS The study involved 342 young adults (F = 60.7%; age 19-40; Mage=22.99; SD = 2.66) in Study 1 and 365 young adults (F = 71.2%; age 17-35; Mage=22.2; SD = 3.98) in Study 2. Data were collected through an online tool shared by the snowball method. We administered the following self-reports: Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire- Short Form (TEIQue- SF), Global Climate Change (GCC), and Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) (Study 1); Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire- Short Form (TEIQue-SF), General Environmental Behaviors Scale (GEB), and Love and Care for Nature (LCN) (Study 2). RESULTS Findings from Study 1 showed that higher TEI levels enhance CN (i.e., cognitive mediator), positively influencing CCP (estimate = 0.14; 95% CI = 0.07 to 0.23). Findings from Study 2 showed that higher TEI levels are associated with higher LCN levels (i.e., emotional mediator), influencing people's engagement in PEBs (estimate = 0.7; 95% CI = 0.03 to 0.11). CONCLUSION It is crucial to design environmental education programs that promote greater emotional intelligence ability and encourage individuals' involvement in ecological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Angelo Panno
- Experimental and Applied Psychology Laboratory, Department of Human Studies, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Luciano Romano
- Experimental and Applied Psychology Laboratory, Department of Human Studies, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giacomo Angelini
- Department of Human Studies, Lumsa University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Rinallo
- Department of Human Studies, Lumsa University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Barni
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
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Lisboa PV, Gómez-Román C, Guntín L, Monteiro AP. Pro-environmental behavior, personality and emotional intelligence in adolescents: a systematic review. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1323098. [PMID: 38414884 PMCID: PMC10898495 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1323098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Human behavior significantly contributes to environmental problems, making the study of pro-environmental behavior an important task for psychology. In this context, it is crucial to understand the pro-environmental behavior of adolescents, as young people play a fundamental role in facilitating long-term changes in environmental consciousness and encouraging decision-makers to take action. However, little is currently known about the pro-environmental behavior of adolescents. Recently, there has been growing interest in examining the influence of personality traits and emotional intelligence on pro-environmental behavior. Methods We conducted a systematic review to enhance our understanding of adolescent pro-environmental behavior. Thus, this systematic review was designed to enhance understanding of adolescent's pro-environmental behavior by summarizing existing evidence on how it relates to personality and emotional intelligence. Results Our findings suggest associations between specific personality traits and dimensions of emotional intelligence with adolescent pro-environmental behavior, aligning with similar studies conducted on adults. Discussion While our findings offer valuable insights, further research is needed to establish causality and deepen our understanding of the interplay between multiple variables influencing pro-environmental behavior among adolescents. Systematic review registration [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023387836], identifier [CRD42023387836].
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Vítor Lisboa
- CRETUS, Interdisciplinary Research Center in Environmental Technologies, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
- Department of Social Psychology, Basic Psychology and Methodology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Cristina Gómez-Román
- CRETUS, Interdisciplinary Research Center in Environmental Technologies, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
- Department of Social Psychology, Basic Psychology and Methodology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Lidia Guntín
- CRETUS, Interdisciplinary Research Center in Environmental Technologies, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
- Department of Social Psychology, Basic Psychology and Methodology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Ana Paula Monteiro
- Department of Education and Psychology, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
- Centre for Educational Research and Intervention, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Giancola M, Palmiero M, Pino MC, Sannino M, D’Amico S. How Do Children "Think outside the Box"? Fluid Intelligence and Divergent Thinking: A Moderated Mediation Study of Field Dependent-Independent Cognitive Style and Gender. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:89. [PMID: 38255402 PMCID: PMC10814549 DOI: 10.3390/children11010089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The interplay between fluid intelligence (Gf) and divergent thinking (DT) has widely characterized current research in the psychology of creativity. Nevertheless, the evidence on the main factors involved in this association during childhood remains a matter of debate. Present research has addressed the interplay between Gf and DT, exploring the mediating role of a field dependent-independent cognitive style (FDI) and the moderating effect of gender in 101 children (Mage = 8.02; SDage = 1.43). Participants carried out Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices, the Children Embedded Figure Test, and the Alternative Uses Task. The results revealed the mediating effect of FDI in the association between Gf and DT, providing evidence that this cognitive style represents a function of controlled mental processes underpinned by Gf, which are useful to thinking divergently. In addition, the findings reported that the interplay between FDI and DT was moderated by gender, suggesting that the impact of FDI on DT was stronger among boys. Through a multidimensional approach, these current research findings provide further insight into the primary children's factors involved in the ability to find alternative solutions and think divergently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Giancola
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.G.); (M.C.P.); (M.S.)
| | | | - Maria Chiara Pino
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.G.); (M.C.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Marta Sannino
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.G.); (M.C.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Simonetta D’Amico
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.G.); (M.C.P.); (M.S.)
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Pino MC, Giancola M, Palmiero M, D’Amico S. The Association between Working Memory and Divergent Thinking: The Moderating Role of Formal Musical Background. Brain Sci 2024; 14:61. [PMID: 38248276 PMCID: PMC10813195 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14010061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Divergent thinking (DT) is widely considered an essential cognitive dimension of creativity, which involves goal-oriented processes, including working memory (WM), which allows for retrieving and loading of information into the attentional stream and, consequently, enhancing divergence of thinking. Despite the critical role of WM in DT, little work has been done on the mechanism affecting this interplay. The current study addressed the involvement of a formal musical background in the relationship between WM and DT and was conducted with 83 healthy young adults (M = 19.64 years; SD = 0.52 years; 33 females). The participants were requested to indicate if they had a formal background in music in the conservatory (M = 4.78 years; SD = 5.50 years) as well as perform the digit span forward test (DSFT) and the alternative uses task-AUT from the Torrance test of creative thinking (TTCT). The results indicated that years of formal musical background moderated the association between WM and DT. These findings suggest that music enhances the positive effect of high-order cognitive processes, such as WM, on the ability to think divergently. Theoretical and practical implications as well as limitations were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Pino
- Department of Biotechnology and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.G.); (S.D.)
| | - Marco Giancola
- Department of Biotechnology and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.G.); (S.D.)
| | | | - Simonetta D’Amico
- Department of Biotechnology and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.G.); (S.D.)
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Guariglia P, Palmiero M, Giannini AM, Piccardi L. The Key Role of Empathy in the Relationship between Age and Social Support. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:2464. [PMID: 37685497 PMCID: PMC10487866 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11172464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging involves several changes depending on genetic and behavioral factors, such as lifestyle and the number and quality of social relationships, which in turn can be influenced by empathy. Here, the change in the perceived social support across the lifespan as a function of empathy was investigated, considering the mediating role of empathy after controlling for gender and education. In total, 441 people (18-91 years old) filled in the Italian short version of the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL-12), the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ6), as well as the Empathy Questionnaire (EQ), and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test (RMET). The mediation analyses with ISEL-12 showed that age and the EQ fully mediated the relationship between age and appraisal, belonging, and tangible scores. Further, the EQ fully mediated only the relationship between age and SSQ6-People. These results showed that empathic skills are key in the relationships between age and social support. This suggests that empathy can trigger social support and, ultimately, well-being if stimulated across the lifespan, especially from a young age; this would help to form the socio-emotional competence across the years as a sort of cushion that can be useful in the older to fulfill active aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Guariglia
- Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, UKE—Kore University of Enna, 94100 Enna, Italy
| | | | - Anna Maria Giannini
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00158 Rome, Italy; (A.M.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Laura Piccardi
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00158 Rome, Italy; (A.M.G.); (L.P.)
- San Raffaele Cassino Hospital, 03043 Cassino, Italy
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Brugger F, Schönthaler EMD, Baranyi A, Reininghaus EZ, von Lewinski D, Dalkner N. Metabolic Syndrome in Affective Disorders: Associations with Dark Triad Personality Traits. Metabolites 2023; 13:956. [PMID: 37623899 PMCID: PMC10456228 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13080956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous research has focused on the relationship between affective disorders (AD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Aside from biological and lifestyle factors, personality traits were identified as influencing aspects. In particular, the Dark Triad personality traits (DT; Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy) were connected to both AD and worse somatic health, thus possibly resulting in MetS. This observational study aimed to investigate the associations between DT and anthropometric parameters and differences in the DT traits concerning the presence of MetS in individuals with AD. A total of 112 individuals (females = 59, males = 51, diverse = 2, Mage = 47.5, SDage = 11.5) with AD filled out the Short Dark Triad questionnaire. Body Mass Index (BMI) and MetS criteria, including blood pressure, waist circumference, lipid, and glucose levels, were assessed. For Machiavellianism, a positive association with BMI (r = 0.29, p < 0.05) and a negative association with systolic blood pressure (r = -0.23, p < 0.05) were found. No relationship between the overall MetS and DT score (r = 0.08, p = 0.409) was observed. The results were limited by the lack of a control group and the cross-sectional study design, which does not allow for the determination of causality. Machiavellianism was associated with a higher BMI and lower systolic blood pressure, indicating a deteriorating health effect of this trait. Possibly, the higher prevalence of MetS in AD stems from aspects such as lifestyle or medication intake, which might also be influenced by DT. Further research is needed to disentangle underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Brugger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
| | - Elena M. D. Schönthaler
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
| | - Andreas Baranyi
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
| | - Eva Z. Reininghaus
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
| | - Dirk von Lewinski
- Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria;
| | - Nina Dalkner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
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Giancola M, D'Amico S, Palmiero M. Working Memory and Divergent Thinking: The Moderating Role of Field-Dependent-Independent Cognitive Style in Adolescence. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:bs13050397. [PMID: 37232633 DOI: 10.3390/bs13050397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Divergent thinking (DT) is considered a key process of creativity. It is supported by different mental processes, ranging from executive functions to cognitive styles. The extent to which these processes jointly contribute to DT is still unclear, especially in adolescence, which represents a developmental stage that involves fundamental changes and restructuring in cognition, emotion, and personality. The present study hypothesises that the field-dependent-independent cognitive style (FDI) moderates the relationship between working memory capacity (WMC). A convenient sample of one hundred adolescents (mean age 18.88 years) was tested in terms of FDI by the Embedded Figure Test (EFT), which requires finding a simple shape as fast as possible within a complex figure. WMC was assessed by the Digit Span Forward Test (DSFT), which requires recalling sequences of numbers in the same order immediately after the presentation. DT was assessed by the Alternative Uses Test (AUT), which requires finding as many uses as possible for common objects. The main result was that the field-independent cognitive style (FI) positively moderated the effect of WMC on DT. This result extends previous findings on the critical role of FDI in real-world creativity, suggesting that FI adolescents better exploit the effect of WMC on DT by using more analytic and associative strategies, focusing on relevant elements when facing a problem, and retrieving conceptual knowledge more efficiently. Implications, limits, and future research directions are briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Giancola
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Simonetta D'Amico
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
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Giancola M, Palmiero M, D’Amico S. Dark Triad and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: the role of conspiracy beliefs and risk perception. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023:1-13. [PMID: 37359671 PMCID: PMC10064627 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-023-04609-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
With the spread of the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the mass vaccination plan represents the primary weapon to control the infection curve. Unfortunately, vaccine hesitancy also spread out worldwide. This led to exploring the critical factors that prevent vaccination from improving the efficacy of vaccine campaigns. In the present study, the role of the Dark Triad (psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism) in vaccine hesitancy was investigated, considering the sequential mediating effects of conspiracy beliefs and risk perception. Via a cross-sectional design, the study was conducted with 210 participants surveyed using an online questionnaire to assess the Dark Triad, vaccine hesitancy, conspiracy beliefs, risk perception, and a set of demographic and socio-cultural control variables. Results showed that conspiracy beliefs and risk perception fully mediated the association between the Dark Triad and vaccine hesitancy. This finding suggested that albeit personality accounts for individual differences in human behaviour, vaccine hesitancy is also affected by irrational and false beliefs that, in turn, weaken the risk perception associated with COVID-19. Implications and future research directions were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Giancola
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | | | - Simonetta D’Amico
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
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Giancola M, Pino MC, Riccio V, Piccardi L, D’Amico S. Preschoolers’ Perceptual Analogical Reasoning and Map Reading: A Preliminary Study on the Mediating Effect of Spatial Language. CHILDREN 2023; 10:children10040630. [PMID: 37189879 DOI: 10.3390/children10040630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Reading and interpreting a map represents an essential part of daily life, enabling appropriate orientation and navigation through space. Based on the idea that perceptual analogical reasoning is critical in aligning the spatial structure of the map with the spatial structure of the space and given the critical role of language, especially spatial language, in encoding and establishing spatial relations among elements in the environment, the present study investigated the joint contribution of perceptual analogical reasoning and spatial language in map reading. The study was conducted with 56 typically developing 4- to 6-year-old children, and the results indicated that perceptual abstract reasoning affected map reading through the mediating effect of spatial language. These findings yielded theoretical and practical implications regarding the role of perceptual abstract reasoning and spatial language in shaping map-reading abilities in the early stages of life, highlighting that domain-specific language competencies are necessary to improve the encoding of spatial relations, to establish object correspondences, and to ensure successful navigation. Limitations and future research directions were discussed.
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