This Short Article reports a replication of prior research suggesting that children from high-stress environments may exhibit enhanced memory for social stimuli. We tested children from two Mozambican communities ( n = 124): Nhandar, a rural area historically marked by poverty and paramilitary control, and Gorongosa, a comparatively lower-stress town. Using the same short-term and working memory tasks as the original study in Italy, we found that Nhandar children outperformed their peers on both tasks. These findings provide cross-cultural support for the idea that adversity may shape memory development in context-sensitive, adaptive ways. • Children growing up in adversity may develop enhanced social memory skills. • Cross-cultural evidence required to test this idea is lacking. • This study replicates prior research from Italy in a new context in Mozambique. • Children from a more high-stress rural area outperformed urban peers on social memory. • Results are consistent with core predictions of the Hidden Talents Model.

We examined whether two variables – pattern recognition (i.e., predicting which chute a ball would come down), and exposure to repeated behaviors in the home environment (e.g., drinking from a cup or folding washing multiple times) – predicted children’s later theory of mind (ToM). These two variables have been hypothesized to assist ToM development because they help children learn to recognize patterns in behavior, and therefore predict future behavior. Because this behavior is underpinned by mental states (e.g., people act in particular ways due to their desires and beliefs), repeated behaviors accompanied by pattern recognition should also help children to eventually acquire a ToM. We studied these questions using a longitudinal study of 56 children (primarily of European ethnicity, 22 girls, 34 boys) at four timepoints (21, 24, 27 and 30 months). Replicating previous research, we found that repeated behaviors were very frequent ( M = 143.4 per hour). Crucially, we also found that both repeated behaviors and pattern recognition were unique predictors of children’s subsequent ToM (along with their earlier language ability), consistent with the idea that pattern recognition and repeated behaviors facilitate children’s subsequent ToM. • Longitudinal study of ToM over four timepoints between 21 and 30 mos of age. • Infants fitted with a head camera, allowing us to observe their home environment. • Infants had better ToM at 30 mos if they had better pattern recognition at early timepoints • Infants had better ToM at 30 mos if they had more exposure to patterns of behavior. • Longitudinal design suggests causal role for pattern recognition and repeated behaviors in ToM

Forgiveness is indispensable for restoring damaged interpersonal relationships. Research suggests that young children develop an understanding of the emotional and behavioral effects of forgiveness on victims during their preschool years. However, it remains unclear how children expect forgiven versus rejected transgressors to feel and behave. This study evaluated preschoolers’ expectations about four aspects of forgiven and rejected transgressors, namely feelings of guilt and gratitude, repetition of transgression, and affiliative behavior. Four- to six-year-olds ( n = 135, 62 boys) and adults ( n = 45, 26 men, M = 25.8 years) in Japan answered questions related to stories about forgiven or rejected transgressors. While adults inferred guilt in both scenarios, children associated more guilty feelings with forgiveness than with rejection. All age groups expected increased gratitude in forgiven transgressors compared to rejected ones, with six-year-olds anticipating higher levels of gratitude than others. Adults expected forgiven (vs. rejected) transgressors to be less likely to repeat a transgression, whereas children did not differentiate between the two. Five- and six-year-olds and adults expected more affiliative behavior from forgiven transgressors than from rejected ones, while four-year-olds did not. These findings suggest that adult-like expectations about forgiven transgressors’ gratitude and affiliative behavior partly emerge at age four and develop throughout preschool years. However, expectations about forgiven a transgressor’s guilty feelings and future transgressions may develop later. Together, these findings clarify how early expectations about forgiveness begin to take shape and lay the groundwork for understanding the developmental foundation of forgiveness. • Forgiveness is essential to repair damaged interpersonal relationships. • We explored preschoolers’ expectations about forgiven vs. rejected transgressors. • Children aged 4–6 years expected increased gratitude in forgiven transgressors. • 5- and 6-year-olds expected forgiven transgressors to be more affiliative. • Expectations about forgiven transgressors’ guilt and reoffending may develop later.