The Behavioral Code: The Hidden Ways the Law Makes Us Better . or Worse

by Benjamin van Rooij

laws?” A fascinating pattern emerged in the data. The researchers found that younger children tend to see rules as specific no-no’s that forbid certain behaviors. Young children obey rules because of their deference to authorities in power and because they simply don’t want to be punished. They have what researchers call an obedience and punishment orientation to rules. And because younger children are so afraid of being punished, incentives and punishments are crucial for changing their misbehavior. If you want to prevent young children from violating rules, incentives and punishments certainly can help. But as we age from childhood into adolescence, this orientation starts to change. With cognitive development, social skill development, and experience, we begin to obey rules less and less out of a fear of being punished. Our thinking shifts from an “obedience and punishment” perspective to a “law and order” perspective. Adolescents in particular begin to think that rather than simply prohibit certain behaviors, rules are intended to guide “good” behavior and prevent disorder.