ABSTRACT
For children as well as adults, the goal of being seen as praiseworthy is central to impression management. Even young children act strategically in pursuit of it, based on assumptions about the beliefs and values of potential observers. For example, young children playing a guessing game are less likely to cheat after being told they have a reputation for being morally good, but more likely to cheat after being told they have a reputation for being smart. Children learn which behaviors and traits are considered praiseworthy within their culture based on personal experiences and social observation. Along the way children must navigate many pitfalls, such as the possibility that overt attempts to call positive attention to oneself will fail or even backfire, and that observable instances of praise may not be reliable indicators of what others value.
