How Do Preschoolers Explain Differences in the Classroom? A Preregistered Replication

Children’s explanations for differences in school achievement are consequential: Explanations that appeal to inherent factors (e.g., intelligence) make such differences seem legitimate. Here, we investigated how preschoolers explain differences in classroom participation. Replicating previous research, we found that children invoke more inherent than extrinsic (e.g., wealth) factors to explain why some children contribute more than others. In turn, these explanations may legitimize inequities in early education (e.g., social class differences).