But that's not fair! The experience of economic inequality from a child's perspective

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,..