The impact of interpersonal inequality on children’s prosocial behavior: The critical role of perceived unfairness.
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: = 160, 64% White), we manipulated the justifiability of disadvantageous inequality. Six- to 9-year-olds received less than a peer despite winning a game (Unjustified-DI), less after losing (Justified-DI), more after losing (Unjustified-AI), or equal outcomes following a tie (Justified-E). They then shared stickers with a new, neutral child. Children evaluated Justified-DI as fairer than Unjustified-DI and Unjustified-AI, and as fair as Justified-E. Crucially, although the inequality conditions did not significantly impact sharing, children's fairness evaluations predicted their generosity: the more unfair they perceived the distribution, the less they shared. Thus, by school age, children's prosocial behavior may be shaped less by objective resource disparities and more by children's perception of the injustice of those disparities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Source: Developmental Psychology
DOI: 10.1037/dev0002284
Authors: Yuhang Shu, Amrisha Vaish
Institution: University of Virginia
Language: English
Subfield: Safety Research
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Reduced inequalities
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7215019922