Self-awareness and transgression in children: Two field studies

Beaman (1979) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · Read the paper

Beaman, Klentz, Diener and Svanum, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 37(10), 1979, 1835-1846. Two field studies of Halloween trick-or-treaters told to take one candy. Study one, 363 children: a mirror behind the bowl reduced rule-breaking only among children first identified by name and address, not anonymous children; the effect also differed by age; the first child's behaviour set an informal norm that interacted with the stated rule. Study two, 349 subjects: results repeated; without a stated rule, self-aware children took less candy than those not self-aware.

Beaman, Klentz, Diener and Svanum, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 37(10), 1979, 1835-1846. Two field studies of Halloween trick-or-treaters told to take one candy. Study one, 363 children: a mirror behind the bowl reduced rule-breaking only among children first identified by name and address, not anonymous children; the effect also differed by age; the first child's behaviour set an informal norm that interacted with the stated rule. Study two, 349 subjects: results repeated; without a stated rule, self-aware children took less candy than those not self-aware.

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Beaman, A. L., Klentz, B., Diener, E., & Svanum, S. (1979). Self-awareness and transgression in children: Two field studies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37(10), 1835-1846. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.37.10.1835 https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.37.10.1835