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ERIC Number: EJ1487263
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Nov
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0961-205X
EISSN: EISSN-1467-9507
Available Date: 2025-09-18
The Development of Preschool Children's Use of the Majority Rule
Norbert Zmyj1; Thomas Goll2; Jan Zaborski1
Social Development, v34 n4 e70027 2025
The majority rule is a core decision-making principle in groups and democracies, where the preference of over half the members determines the collective outcome. This study investigated whether children aged 3-5 (N = 156, approximately 50% girls and boys, from predominantly White families) apply the majority rule in a group of peers with differing preferences. Results showed that 5-year-olds, but not 3- or 4-year-olds, were more likely to choose activities favored by the majority of their peers. When justifying their choices, 5-year-olds more frequently referred to the majority rule than younger children. Results also showed that children supported a teacher's decision regardless of whether she followed the majority or the minority. These results are discussed in terms of children's ability to apply the majority rule in social settings.
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www-wiley-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Germany
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Institute of Psychology, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany; 2Institute for Interdisciplinary Didactics, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany