The effect of transgressor's and victim's sex on children's punish-help judgments

The present investigation, expanding upon a study by Miller and McCann, sought to determine whether children's reactions to the perpetrators and victims of antisocial behavior are influenced by the sex of the individuals involved. Third- and fifth-grade children were asked their opinions of a series of stories in which one child (boy or girl) was described as having intentionally harmed another child (boy or girl). The results indicate that the relative importance that children attribute to punishing transgressors and helping victims is mediated by the sex composition of the transgressor-victim dyad.