Preference for talented naturals over hard workers emerges in childhood and shapes behavior

Shaocong Ma; Chia-Jung Tsay; Eva E Chen

doi:10.1111/cdev.13886

Preference for talented naturals over hard workers emerges in childhood and shapes behavior

Child Dev. 2023 May;94(3):674-690. doi: 10.1111/cdev.13886. Epub 2022 Dec 19.

Authors

Shaocong Ma¹, Chia-Jung Tsay^{2

3}, Eva E Chen^{1

4}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China.
² Department of Management and Human Resources, The University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
³ School of Management, University College London, London, UK.
⁴ College of Education, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, China.

PMID: 36537003
DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13886

Abstract

Both talent and effort are considered essential sources of achievement, but past research suggests a preference for people who appear to achieve through talent. This research examined the potential naturalness preference in 306 Chinese children (M_age : 6.12 years; 164 girls) and 352 adults (M_age : 19.87 years; 182 women) in 2019. In Study 1, participants evaluated a natural or striver protagonist of equal achievement. Children attributed greater competence and warmth to naturals than strivers; adults exhibited this preference only when attributing competence. In Study 2, participants indicated their behavioral preferences between the two protagonists. Children, but not adults, interacted more with naturals than strivers. These findings indicate the naturalness preference emerges early (ds ≥ .27) but declines in strength over time.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Achievement*
Aptitude*
Child
Female
Humans
Male
Young Adult