Who gets to join the Reading Club?

For 5- to 8-year-olds

In this study, your child will hear a story about a school called Sunny School and the different characters that attend. Then, your child will see who is in the Reading Club at Sunny School. Your child will be able to select 8 new students to join the Reading Club! Then, your child will answer some questions about the club and its students (e.g., "Who is better at reading?").

As adults, we have different opinions about the under-representation of marginalized groups (gender, race) in elite fields. Should we intervene to increase representation (in the name of fairness), or step back (in the name of fairness)? Many factors may impact our answers to these questions. In this study, we are curious about how young children, who are just learning about the world around them, address under-representation. Do they use equity-based (i.e., disadvantaged people should get more) or equality-based (i.e., everyone should get the same) solutions to rectify under-representation? Understanding the emergence of equity-based vs. equality-based thinking in this context will inform conversations with parents and educators about equity in the classroom.

15 minutes

We will email you a $5 Amazon.com gift card within a week of participation. To be eligible for the gift card: (1) your child must be in the age range for this study, (2) English is (one of) your child's first language(s), (3) you need to submit a valid consent statement, and (4) we need to see that there is a child with you during the experiment. You must start the study to receive compensation, but you may stop at any time and still receive compensation. Each child is eligible to participate to receive a gift card only once; participants cannot do the study more than once for compensation.