Some Equalities Are More Equal Than Others: Quality Equality Emerges Later Than Numerical Equality

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Social Cognition
• Moral Development

Background:

• Children's understanding of fairness evolves with age.
• Fairness encompasses both numerical and quality equality of resource distribution.
• Previous research indicates children share resources equally by age six.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate children's understanding of fairness beyond numerical equality.
• To examine the development of "quality equality" in resource allocation among children.
• To determine the age at which children prioritize equitable distribution of high-value resources.

Main Methods:

• Study 1: Assessed resource allocation in 87 children aged 3-10 years.
• Study 2: Evaluated resource allocation to third parties in 32 children aged 6-8 years.
• Both studies involved distributing sets of resources with varying qualities.

Main Results:

• By age six, children divided resources numerically but favored better items.
• Children aged 3-10 typically monopolized superior resources until age 10.
• Children aged 6-8 allocated resources based on quality equality to third parties.

Conclusions:

• Children's concept of fairness expands to include resource quality with age.
• Developing children learn that true fairness necessitates equitable distribution of valuable items.
• By late childhood, children grasp that fairness involves both equal quantity and equal quality.