Holistic or Specific? Children's Inferences About Fairness and Competence Within and Across Domains

ABSTRACT

How do children represent an individual's traits when choosing partners for a collaborative task? We examined whether 5‐ to 9‐year‐olds ( N  = 89) generalize fairness and competence within and across the domains of problem‐solving ability and fairness, and how these inferences shape collaborative decisions. In a pre‐registered study, children observed two characters differing in fairness or competence and evaluated them in new situations. Children of all ages generalized traits within domains, but younger children also made cross‐domain generalizations (e.g., assuming a fair character was also competent). This suggests a developmental shift from broad to domain‐specific reasoning. Trait inferences and partner preferences showed parallel developmental patterns, indicating that evaluations of fairness and competence are both inferred and meaningfully applied. The study highlights how children's social cognition becomes more refined with age. Future research should examine how this developmental shift toward domain‐specific reasoning shapes children's real‐world collaborative choices and peer relationships.