{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,11]],"date-time":"2026-10-11T11:07:26Z","timestamp":1791716846598,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":73,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,30]],"date-time":"2026-03-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774828800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,30]],"date-time":"2026-03-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774828800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Developmental Science"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:label\/>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Although prior research has linked social distance to defending in school\u2010aged children and adolescents, it remains unclear whether this effect extends to preschool\u2010aged children, generalizes to both defending behaviors and intentions, or demonstrates heterogeneity in this younger population. This study addressed these gaps by focusing on preschoolers, distinguishing between defending behaviors and intentions, and examining how social distance (friend vs. stranger) and age (early vs. late preschoolers) influence defending (direct and indirect defending), both independently and interactively. The final analytic sample had 200 Chinese preschoolers, including 101 early preschoolers (3\u20134 years,\n                      <jats:italic>\n                        M\n                        <jats:sub>age<\/jats:sub>\n                      <\/jats:italic>\n                      = 48.94\u00a0\u00b1\u00a06.49 months, 50 boys) and 99 late preschoolers (5\u20136 years,\n                      <jats:italic>\n                        M\n                        <jats:sub>age<\/jats:sub>\n                      <\/jats:italic>\n                      = 67.31\u00a0\u00b1\u00a04.77 months, 49 boys). A vignette task was used to measure children's defending intentions and behaviors. The analyses of covariance revealed significant effects of age and social distance on defending. First, compared to early preschoolers, late preschoolers exhibited fewer defending behaviors but more defending intentions. Second, a significant main effect of social distance revealed that both overall and indirect defending behaviors and intentions were stronger when the victim was a friend rather than a stranger. Third, the significant interaction\u00a0effects of social distance and age on overall and indirect defending intentions revealed that early preschoolers displayed stronger intentions toward a friend than late preschoolers. The findings demonstrate an age\u2010related divergence between defending behaviors and intentions, providing nuanced evidence for how social distance motivates defending strategies across the preschool years.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Summary<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      <jats:list list-type=\"bullet\">\n                        <jats:list-item>\n                          <jats:p>A developmental divergence emerged: compared to early preschoolers, late preschoolers reported stronger defending intentions yet exhibited fewer defending behaviors.<\/jats:p>\n                        <\/jats:list-item>\n                        <jats:list-item>\n                          <jats:p>Preschoolers strategically prioritize indirect strategies (e.g., comforting victims and seeking adult help) to defend their close friends.<\/jats:p>\n                        <\/jats:list-item>\n                        <jats:list-item>\n                          <jats:p>Early preschoolers exhibit stronger intentions for indirect defending toward close friends compared to late preschoolers.<\/jats:p>\n                        <\/jats:list-item>\n                      <\/jats:list>\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/desc.70180","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,30]],"date-time":"2026-03-30T07:54:59Z","timestamp":1774857299000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["How Preschoolers Defend: Early Preschoolers Act More, Intend Less, and Strategically Defend Friends"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"29","author":[{"given":"Xiaoqian","family":"Wu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science East China Normal University  Shanghai China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yiji","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science East China Normal University  Shanghai China"},{"name":"NYU\u2010ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science New York University Shanghai  Shanghai 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