Weight is a unique identity that is caused by one’s biology (e.g., genes), behavior (e.g., exercise choices), and environment (e.g., access to healthy food). How does children’s causal understanding of weight shift over development?

Attributing setbacks to intrinsic deficiencies (“fixed mindset”) is demotivating compared to attributing them to a lack of effort (“growth mindset”). But what happens when children attribute setbacks to extrinsic disadvantages (“structural mindset”)?

Children often assume that social disparities reflect intrinsic, “essentialist” differences between groups. Can history education help them understand the extrinsic, “structural” causes of disparities?

Young children often assume that adopted children will grow up to resemble their birthparents, not their adoptive parents. Do children who are adopted or donor-conceived themselves reason any differently?

Women spend twice as much time as men doing domestic work (e.g., laundry, cooking). How do children explain this disparity? Moreover, do their explanations relate to their intentions to participate in this work as adults?

Among adults, biological explanations for sexual orientation reduce anti-gay prejudice. When do anti-gay attitudes first form, and what role do children’s explanations for attraction play in the emergence of these attitudes?