The Effects of Information-Processing Demands and Social-Situational Factors on the Social Decision Making of Children GEOKGE P. KNIGHT. AMY I,. BI;KNIN(;, SHEKYI. I,. WII.SON. ANI) (J~IIA-CHEN Cii.40 Previous research haz consi\tcntly demonstrated age difference\ in c~~opet-~~t~ve. competitive. and individualistic jackal deci\lon making. The present studie\ wt‘~-e designed to demonstrate that the\e age diRerencc\ may result from the development of the requisite information-proce~~lnl: capahilitle\ and ~oci:ll/~ltllational factor\. It was hypothesired that the Im~ited inf(lrm;ltlc,n-prc,cc~~ing system\ of young children place constraint\ uptm the social decGon\ av;~ilahle. hut making a specific social deciGn wa\ dependent upon \ociocultural factor-s which influcncc the salience of ahpecl\ of the social situation or- the expected continfenclr\ ol each social decision. Study I a\\e\sed the \oc~al decision making of 3- to I I- year-olds in two forms of a Jeclhion-mahing t;l\h tdesigncd to mani~ulatc the information proctxing demxxl\ 01 kc! social declsmn\) under two instructional sets (designed to manipulate the expected I-caard contingencie\ of key \oci;d decision,), Study 1 a$ae\sed the \ocinl dccislon making of 3- to Il-yeCu-nld~ toward close fr-iends or acquaintance\ ~designed !o manipulate the expected \oci‘it contingencies) In the amc two forms of the ~ieci~lorl-lrlahin~ ta\k. Age. the la\h form manipulation. and the zoci~il/~itll~itic\nal manipulation intluenccd xxxtl deckion making in each \tudy in ;I manner cunsi\tent wlrh the theorrtic:ll pel-\pectivc A cognitive social learning mterprelalioll. and the Implications for the cognirivc developmental influence upon M>CI;II behavlin. arc dixused 14%~ \L.IJCI~I~ I’IC\\ llli Although research has consistently demonstrated age differences in cooperative. competitive. and individualistic social decision making (e.g.. Knight & Kagan, 1977: McClintock, 1973). the origin ofthcsc differences We expreah our ;IppIeciation to 1~~1 C’oyner and 1.1sr I>rvric\ for their aa~\lancc wilh the data collection. We also thank Judith Hobhitt. and the \taff and children of the Prlncc Elementary School’ Frieda Dahukey. Sandy Grove. and the staff and children of the Jcwi\h Community Center Preschool: Dr. Jerry Kutliroff. and the staff and children t>f the ‘I‘uckon Hebrew Academy: ,md l.ynn Slrau\z. and the xlatf and childr-en of the An\hel Israel Prexhool. Our gratitude i\ AM> extended to the Ireviewer\. who\c comment\ were mo\l helpful. Reprint requexts may be sent to George I’. Knight. Department of Psychology. Arizona State Ciniverbity. Tempe. A% X52X7