Slack:
https://bcccd.slack.com/archives/C02P9FQQJQPChana Berelejis, Avi BenozioHebrew University, Jerusalem, IsraelHumans’ socio-cognitive capabilities evolved within contexts wherein monitoring oneself and others is key. Specifically, “high social status” is often a synonym for having higher access to resources. Research with adults demonstrates sensitivity to status-related cues, the behavioural paths taken to enhance status, and sex differences in the willingness to compete for higher status. However, developmental research on this topic is scarce. We know that infants are responsive to status-related cues (Thomsen, 2020), and 3-6-year-olds hold specific expectations from high-status individuals (Stavans & Diesendruck, 2020). We do not know how children conduct their behaviour with a peer of lower-, equal-, or higher status.
Two preregistered studies have addressed children’s willingness to monopolize resources in a Dictator-game ‘Taking’ task. In Study 1, 195 4-7-year-olds played a competitive game with an unfamiliar peer and were randomly assigned to a Winning or Losing condition (High or Low-Status, respectively). Then, a second game followed in which children could take resources from a new peer of lower, equal, or higher status than theirs. We found that children did not monopolize resources from lower-status peers and took ~50% of the endowment but monopolized resources from higher-status peers (~70%). Interestingly, a gendered-behavior was revealed towards equal-status peers – girls were egalitarian, whereas boys monopolized resources. Study 2 (N=101) involved a non-social phase (Succeeding/Failing instead of Winning/Losing) and excluded the possibility that children’s actions reflect emotional responses.
By addressing relative status in dyads, these studies expose sex differences and similarities which will be discussed from evolutionary, cultural, and developmental perspectives.
- Session 5, Wednesday, 12 Jan, 07:00 - 08:30 (UTC +0)
- Session 9, Thursday, 13 Jan, 13:00 - 14:30 (UTC +0)
