Moral Values and Behaviors

Children between the ages of 9 and 12 and a parent/legal guardian, who live in the United States, and speak English.

This study will take place on a video call, live with a researcher! Clicking on the “Schedule a time to participate” button will send you to an online calendar where you can select a date and time that works for you. During the session, your child will be asked to answer questions about their moral values, how they respond to situations that feel unfair, their moral concern, how they behave and perceive others behavior in everyday life such as helping, lying, and excluding others. We will also send you (the parent/legal guardian) an online questionnaire about parenting practices and your child’s behavior.

This study explores how moral values in children relate to their everyday behaviors and their perceptions of others' behavior, like helping, lying, or leaving someone out. We’re also interested in how parenting might shape these moral values, and whether caring about fairness or showing less moral concern affects how closely children’s behavior matches their values. These questions are designed to help us understand how children think about right and wrong, fairness, and how their thinking relates to their actions in everyday life.

The study includes a 20–30 minute Zoom session for the child and a 15-minute online survey for the parent.

Families can receive up to a $10 Amazon.com gift card. As a thank-you for your time a $5 Amazon.com gift card will be provided for your child’s participation in the Zoom session. To qualify, your child must be between 9 and 12 years old, visible on the screen during verbal assent, and reside in the United States. Each child participant is eligible for one gift card. One additional $5 Amazon.com gift card is available for taking the parent questionnaire. Gift cards will be emailed to families within one week of the Zoom session.