The Development of Children's Impressions of Trustworthiness

This thesis examined the development and maturity of impressions of trustworthiness in childhood. A systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that face-based trustworthiness impressions develop throughout childhood and reach maturity around 10 years. Experimental results suggested that neural sensitivity to facial trustworthiness could be a possible driver of this development. Facial trustworthiness was also found to influence children’s social behaviour, but children could overcome these biases in favour of more accurate cues in middle childhood. Overall, the thesis found that facial impressions are becoming adult-like in middle childhood, enhancing our understanding of the development and origins of character judgements.