In developmental psychology, self-descriptions by young children are often unrealistically positive in part because they

• A. tend to focus more on their weaknesses than their strengths
• B. are highly influenced by peer feedback at this age
• C. have already developed a stable sense of self-esteem
• D. lack the cognitive ability to compare themselves realistically to others

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of self-description in developmental psychology, particularly how young children perceive and describe themselves.
2. Recognize that young children often have unrealistically positive self-descriptions because their cognitive development limits their ability to make accurate social comparisons.
3. Recall that the ability to compare oneself realistically to others requires certain cognitive skills, such as perspective-taking and self-reflection, which are still developing in young children.
4. Evaluate the given options by considering which explanation aligns with developmental psychology theories about self-esteem and cognitive growth in early childhood.
5. Conclude that the most accurate reason is that young children lack the cognitive ability to compare themselves realistically to others, leading to unrealistically positive self-descriptions.