From norms to action: Exploring latent profile transitions of moral self-concept and normative stances in young children's sharing behavior.

This study investigated the development of young children's normative stances and moral self-concept (MSC) over 1 year and their relations with sharing behavior. Five hundred children in Germany (approximately 5 years at T1, mostly White, 51% girls) were assessed at 3 measurement points. Latent profile and transition analyses identified 7 distinct profiles of normative stances-MSC: (1) low-moderate, (2) moderate-exceptionally low, (3) high-moderate, (4) moderate-low, (5) moderate-high, (6) moderate-moderate, and (7) moderate-exceptionally high. Only the low-moderate profile was found across all 3 measurement points. MSC increased over time, while normative stances remained stable or declined. Children who transitioned from high-moderate (T1) to moderate-low (T2) to moderate-moderate (T3) shared more at T3 than those who remained at low-moderate levels. Gender and socioeconomic differences were found, highlighting the role of individual and family characteristics on moral development. Overall, no consistent pattern was found between profiles and sharing behavior, emphasizing the complex nature of moral development and prosocial behavior in early childhood.