Abstract
The twenty-first century is witnessing a rapid rise in concern regarding wealth inequality and the fairness of our economic systems. Alongside this concern, research is uncovering the detrimental effects of high inequality on human behavior. However, comparatively little effort is spent understanding how these economic factors may be influencing children as they age. This is particularly important as examining child development can reveal fascinating insights into human nature. Here we provide a review of research from developmental psychology about how children’s understanding of fairness develops as they age, from a concern for equality to a concern for equity, merit and need. Furthermore, we highlight how these concerns evolve from a concern for the self to a concern for the self and others. Finally, we chart research shedding light on how diverse cultural backgrounds may be shaping children’s perceptions of inequality differently, and how economic inequality may be influencing the way children treat others.
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Kirkland, K., Jetten, J., Nielsen, M. (2019). But That’s Not Fair! The Experience of Economic Inequality from a Child’s Perspective. In: Jetten, J., Peters, K. (eds) The Social Psychology of Inequality. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28856-3_12
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