Participatory and experimental research on the effect of moral fines on normative competence in children|Bell'esempio! esperienza partecipativa e studio sperimentale sull'autonomia normativa dei bambini attraverso le multe morali

In this paper we present participatory and experimental research aimed to test the effect of moral fines on normative competence in children. Children have been involved in a participatory experience in their neighborhood and asked to (morally) sanction cars parking on pedestrian areas (crosswalk and sidewalk). The participation of children in promoting norm obedience within their community has allowed us to test 1) the effectiveness of a «bottom up» intervention on the normative behavior of adults; and 2) the effect of this experience on the willingness of children to become active and autonomous promoters and defenders of the rules.