We investigated children’s understanding of the nature of secrets as an
expression of their knowledge of the intentions of others. The sample of 200 was
drawn from 5-, 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-year-old children (40 from each age group), with
equal numbers of males and females, and equal numbers from Berlin and Sydney. In
structured interviews we tested the children’s understanding of four kinds
of secrets: guilty, innocent, dangerous, and embarrassing. Differences across age
were found for some secrets (e.g. telling mother guilty and dangerous secrets) but
not for others (e.g. telling mother innocent and embarrassing secrets), and for some
aspects of understanding mothers’ and friends’ intentions. Some
gender and cultural differences were found. Findings are interpreted in terms of
children’s understanding of the intentions of others and the emergence of
peer solidarity and conscious trust.
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