ABSTRACT
Following on the previous chapter, this chapter seeks to illuminate the mechanisms underpinning commitment by considering the emergence of an understanding of commitment in ontogeny, i.e., by attempting to isolate distinct components of this proficiency as they emerge, and to learn how they relate to each other, which are the most basic. The key question for this chapter, then, is: How do children attain a mature proficiency at identifying, keeping track of and responding appropriately to their own and others’ commitments?
