Children's perceptions of others' understanding of moral transgressions: who should know better and why

The present study examined children's perceptions of other children's ability to make moral judgements. Preschool, kindergarten, first- and second-grade children rated the permissibility of moral transgressions for a same-age peer, a younger child and an older child. Children also were asked why the transgressions were wrong. Preschool and kindergarten children rated transgressions equally wrong for a same-age peer, a younger and an older child, whereas first and second graders rated transgressions for a same-age peer and an older child as more wrong than for a younger child. Preschoolers stated they did not know why the transgressions were wrong for a younger child, while kindergarten children reasoned that a younger child did not know the rules. First and second graders reasoned that a same-age peer and an older child should know ‘better’, but a younger child would not know ‘better’. Results suggest that children's perceptions of others' moral knowledge is related to children's ability to coordinate domains of social knowledge when making judgements of others' moral transgressions.