Confiança seletiva em crianças pré-escolares: uma revisão sistemática / La confiança selectiva: una revisión sistemática / Selective trust in preschoolers: a systematic review

RESUMO. Embora o campo de estudos sobre confiança seletiva tenha ganhado destaque nos últimos anos, essa linha de pesquisa não é ainda suficientemente divulgada no Brasil. A presente revisão sistemática teve como objetivo avaliar a produção científica sobre confiança seletiva em crianças pré-escolares, bem como sobre possíveis variáveis que influenciam os julgamentos de confiança. A busca foi realizada nas bases de dados PSYCINFO, Scielo Brasil, PEPSIC e LILACS, utilizando-se as palavras-chave selective trust, epistemic trust e seus correspondentes em português 'confiança seletiva' e 'confiança epistêmica'. De um total de 103 trabalhos, foram analisados 45 artigos empíricos, publicados entre 2008 e 2018, seguindo o protocolo PRISMA. Contrariando uma crença predominante em muitas culturas de que as crianças acreditam em tudo o que ouvem, elas não são consumidoras ingênuas de informação. Discutem-se os efeitos de variáveis individuais e contextuais sobre os julgamentos de confiança seletiva que apontam para direções futuras promissoras de pesquisa.

RESUMEN. Aunque el campo de estudios sobre confianza selectiva ha ganado destaque en los últimos años, esta línea de investigación aún no ha sido suficientemente divulgada en Brasil. En la presente revisión sistemática se tuvo como objetivo evaluar la producción científica sobre confianza selectiva en niños preescolares, así como sobre posibles variables que influencian los juicios de confianza. La búsqueda fue realizada en las bases de datos PSYINFO, Scielo Brasil, PEPSIC y LILACS, utilizando las palabras clave selective trust, epistemic trust y sus correspondientes en portugués 'confiança seletiva' y 'confiança epistémica'. De un total de 103 estudios, se analizaron 45 artículos empíricos, publicados entre 2008 y 2018, siguiendo el protocolo PRISMA. Contrariando una creencia predominante en muchas culturas de que los niños creen en todo lo que oyen, ellos no son consumidores ingenuos de información. Se discuten los efectos de variables individuales y contextuales sobre los juicios de confianza selectiva que apuntan a futuras direcciones prometedoras de investigación.

ABSTRACT. Although the field of studies on selective trust has gained much attention in recent years, this line of research is not yet sufficiently publicized in Brazil. The present systematic review aimed to assess scientific evidence on selective trust in preschool children, as well as on possible variables influencing trust judgements. The search was performed in PSYCINFO, ScieloBrasil, PEPSIC and LILACS, using the keywords 'selective trust', 'epistemic trust' and their correspondents in Portuguese confiança seletiva and confiança epistêmica. From a total of 103 studies found, 45 empirical articles, published between 2008 and 2018, were analyzed using the PRISMA protocol. In contrast to a predominant view in many cultures that children believe everything they hear, they are not naïve consumers of information. Effects of individual and contextual variables on selective trust judgments are discussed, which point to promising future research directions.

Children's selective trust: When a group majority is confronted with past accuracy.

In two experiments, 3- to 5-year-old children were tested for their preferences when seeking and accepting information about novel animals. In Experiment 1, children watched as two adults named unfamiliar animals - one adult was predominantly accurate, whereas the other was predominantly inaccurate, as judged by a teacher. In a subsequent test phase, participants viewed additional unfamiliar animals and were invited to endorse one of two conflicting names. Either the predominantly accurate or the predominantly inaccurate adult proposed one name, whereas a majority of three unfamiliar adults proposed the other name. Children were more likely to endorse the predominantly accurate adult as compared to the majority but showed no significant preference for the predominantly inaccurate adult as compared to the majority. In Experiment 2, participants watched two adults correctly name three familiar animals, but only one named three additional unfamiliar animals whereas the other expressed uncertainty. On subsequent test trials, children preferred the apparently well-informed adult to the less-informed adult but, contrary to the results of Experiment 1, children preferred the information provided by a majority instead of the apparently well-informed adult. The implications of these results are discussed in the light of previous research on children's selective trust in an accurate informant as compared to a consensus. Statement of contribution What is already known on the subject? Young children monitor past accuracy and use this epistemic cue to decide whom to trust; Children are receptive to information coming from a consensus; Non-epistemic cues, such as familiarity and accent, also influence children's deference What does this study adds? Children favour a dissenter over a majority if the dissenter's past accuracy has been publicly highlighted. They favour a majority if a dissenter's past accuracy has not been publicly highlighted. A confident informant is preferred to a hesitant informant.