The development of social cognitions about classroom life and their potential influence on children's classroom behavior were studied. Each of 360 first and fifth grade children from schools in middle class and working class neighborhoods were interviewed using booklets illustrating classroom behavior. The results indicated that children do…

Specifies rules individuals use to make moral judgments, suggesting that certain culturally transmitted excuses are generally believed to absolve people of blame for harming others. Areas discussed include accepting excuses, children's moral judgments (including Piagetian theory), accidental harm, learning excusing conditions, and a theory of…