Children's and adults' judgments of equitable resource distributions

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2009.00859.x
• Publication Date: 2009-04-17T07:07:22Z
• Authors: Koleen McCrink; Paul Bloom; Laurie R. Santos
• Keywords: Equity; Absolute (philosophy)

This study explored the criteria that children and adults use when evaluating niceness of a character who is distributing resources. Four- five-year-olds played 'Giving Game', in which two puppets with different amounts chips each gave some portion these to children. Adults an analogous task mimicked situations presented Giving Game. For all groups participants, we manipulated absolute amount proportion given away. We found used cues establish puppet was nicer: 4-year-olds focused exclusively on amount, 5-year-olds showed sensitivity proportion, proportion. These results are discussed light their implications for equity theory theories development social evaluation.