Money priming and children’s self-evaluations

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that money priming changes adults’ behavior and self-esteem, making them become more congruent with market mode. Money priming has also been seen to change behavior in children who have yet develop a complete understanding of its instrumental functions. Since money’s association with markets changes people’s behavior even in childhood, it is possible that its links and ties to self-esteem are forged at an early stage in life. The studies presented in this article aimed to verify how money priming affects various types of self-evaluations made by children. Two experimental studies were conducted. A total of 83 children aged 8–10 years took part in the first study, while 103 children aged 4–6 years took part in the second study. The results demonstrate that priming with money may change some, but not all, of children’s self-evaluations. Subsequent to money priming, children’s self-evaluations became more congruent with market mode: under the influence of money priming, children’s self-evaluations increased in domains involving perceived competences (associated with feelings of agency), but did not increase in domains related to social relationships.