Linking Wrongdoing and Consequence: A Developmental Analysis of Children's Punishment Orientation

Abstract

Young children's ability to use open-ended punishment decisions as a way of distinguishing between different types of transgressions (moral, safety-related, and social-conventional) was examined. A structured interview based on a series of 6 transgression vignettes was administered to 20 children in each of 3 age groups: 4 to 5 years old, 7 to 8 years old, and 10 to 11 years old. Intensity ratings of the children's punishment decisions suggested that they found moral transgressions to be those least acceptable to violate, followed by safety-related, and finally social-conventional transgressions. Children's open-ended punishment choices also revealed the belief, regardless of age, that moral transgressions should be punished more than safety-related or social-conventional transgressions. In addition, analyses of the justifications children provided for their punishment choices revealed that with increasing age children are more likely to recognize the preventive function of punishment and the negative consequences believed to be associated with moral, safety-related, and social-conventional wrongdoings.