Children’s Assessment of “Good Trouble”

Across two experiments, children (N = 260, ages 4–9) evaluated protagonists who either protested unfair, arbitrary rules ("good trouble") or upheld the status quo. Study 1 demonstrates that from age 5, children prefer affiliating with rule challengers who engage in good trouble by protesting unfair, arbitrary rules and norms. Study 2 reveals that by 7-8 years, children's endorsement of breaking unfair rules is moderated by the consequences of protest, with decreasing support as the severity of consequences increases. Cross-cultural comparisons between US and Indian cohorts show no significant differences in children’s developing understanding of norm flexibility and arbitrariness. Lastly, contrary to our hypothesis, when protest carries consequences, children believe that advantaged individuals—rather than those directly affected by unfairness—should bear the responsibility of engaging in good trouble.