The reasons young children give to peers when explaining their judgments of moral and conventional rules.

• DOI: 10.1037/dev0000424
• Publication Date: 2017-10-23T16:17:59Z
• Authors: Maria Mammen; Bahar Köymen; Michael Tomasello
• Keywords: PsycINFO; Punishment (psychology)

Moral justifications work, when they do, by invoking values that are shared in the common ground of interlocutors. We asked 3- and 5-year-old peer dyads (N = 144) to identify punish norm transgressors. In moral condition, transgressor violated a (e.g., stealing); social rules she/he context-specific rule placing yellow toy green box, instead box). Children both age groups justified their punishment condition mostly referring "He must put toys box"). contrast, simply observed fact stole"), seeing no need state involved not steal"), presumably because assumed this as part with partner. These results suggest preschoolers assume certain peers use these formulating explicit judgments justifications. (PsycINFO Database Record