Not all punishment is equal: The effect of punishment severity on children's social evaluations.

IF 3.1 2区心理学 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL Developmental Psychology Pub Date : 2024-09-19 DOI:10.1037/dev0001845

Young-Eun Lee, Larisa Heiphetz Solomon

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Abstract

Punishment is a key mechanism to regulate selfish behaviors and maintain cooperation in a society. However, children often show mixed evaluations about third-party punishment. The current work asked how punishment severity might shape children's social judgments. In two studies, 5- to 10-year-old children heard about a punisher who took different numbers of items from a transgressor and evaluated the punisher's behavior and moral character. In Study 1 (n = 68), when the transgression was relatively mild (i.e., unfair sharing), children across ages evaluated taking no items from the unfair sharer ("no punishment") most positively, while evaluating taking three items ("harshest punishment") most negatively. In Study 2 (n = 68), when the transgression was more serious (i.e., stealing), younger children evaluated taking two items ("equality-establishing punishment") more positively than older children, while evaluating taking none most negatively. However, children became more likely to evaluate equality-establishing punishment negatively with age. Overall, the current results show that punishment severity is a key factor underlying children's third-party punishment judgments. The current research extends work on moral development by showing how children conceptualize the severity of punishment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

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并非所有惩罚都是平等的：惩罚严重程度对儿童社会评价的影响。

惩罚是调节自私行为和维持社会合作的重要机制。然而，儿童对第三方惩罚的评价往往喜忧参半。目前的研究探讨了惩罚的严厉程度会如何影响儿童的社会判断。在两项研究中，5 到 10 岁的儿童听说惩罚者从违法者身上拿走了不同数量的物品，并对惩罚者的行为和道德品质进行了评价。在研究 1（n = 68）中，当违规行为相对较轻（即不公平分享）时，各年龄段儿童对不公平分享者不拿走任何物品（"无惩罚"）的评价最为积极，而对拿走三件物品（"最严厉的惩罚"）的评价最为消极。在研究 2（n = 68）中，当越轨行为更为严重（即偷窃）时，年龄较小的儿童比年龄较大的儿童对拿走两件物品（"建立平等的惩罚"）的评价更为积极，而对不拿走任何物品的评价则最为消极。然而，随着年龄的增长，儿童更有可能对 "建立平等惩罚 "作出负面评价。总之，目前的研究结果表明，惩罚的严重程度是儿童对第三方惩罚作出判断的一个关键因素。当前的研究通过展示儿童如何看待惩罚的严重程度，扩展了道德发展方面的研究。(PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, 版权所有）。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Developmental Psychology PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL-

CiteScore

5.80

自引率

2.50%

发文量

329

期刊介绍： Developmental Psychology ® publishes articles that significantly advance knowledge and theory about development across the life span. The journal focuses on seminal empirical contributions. The journal occasionally publishes exceptionally strong scholarly reviews and theoretical or methodological articles. Studies of any aspect of psychological development are appropriate, as are studies of the biological, social, and cultural factors that affect development. The journal welcomes not only laboratory-based experimental studies but studies employing other rigorous methodologies, such as ethnographies, field research, and secondary analyses of large data sets. We especially seek submissions in new areas of inquiry and submissions that will address contradictory findings or controversies in the field as well as the generalizability of extant findings in new populations. Although most articles in this journal address human development, studies of other species are appropriate if they have important implications for human development. Submissions can consist of single manuscripts, proposed sections, or short reports.