Pint-Sized Public Relations: The Development of Reputation Management

Abstract

Until recently, many psychologists were skeptical that young children cared about reputation. New evidence suggests that by age five, children begin to understand the broad importance of reputation and to engage in surprisingly sophisticated impression management. These findings prompt exciting new questions about the development of a fundamental social competency.

Keywords: Reputation; impression management; morality; self-presentation; signaling; social cognitive development.