New study finds children and teens reason differently about participation trophies

A recent study in Developmental Science reveals that children as young as 7 and teenagers both believe reserving trophies for top finishers encourages athletes to perform better and feel more proud than giving out participation awards to everyone. However, only adolescents consistently predicted negative consequences from offering awards only to winners, such as a temptation to cheat and take physical risks.

Teenagers' preferences for either competitive or inclusive trophy systems seemed to correspond with how quickly they felt able to run, indicating that self-interest starts shaping fairness views by adolescence. Youth sports leagues must decide between two award distribution methods: inclusive, which provides the same recognition to all participants, or selective, which gives prizes to top performers based on measurable results.

Supporters argue inclusive systems promote belonging and acknowledge effort, while critics claim they dilute achievement and motivation. Conversely, selective trophies receive criticism for encouraging cheating and risky behavior, and supporters see them as fair recognition of excellence, while critics worry they create undue pressure and potential injury.

The study's authors, Shuai Shao from the University of California, San Diego, and now at Boston College, aimed to understand how children and adolescents perceive the implications of these award systems and how their reasoning evolves as they mature. Developmental psychology suggests children start considering individual performance and strict equality during elementary school.

While younger children typically split items evenly, a 2016 study found that by age 8, children reliably accept harder work as a fair reason for one person to receive a larger share and reject purely selfish requests. By adulthood, fairness views often reflect personal standing, as an earlier adult study showed individuals prefer equal or performance-based rewards depending on which arrangement benefits them individually.

Most prior research focused on one-time decisions about dividing toys or snacks rather than broader institutional rules' effects on emotions and behavior. This study aimed to replicate previous findings in a new context by examining whether young people anticipate various trade-offs when the prize is a trophy rather than money. Researchers recruited 87 participants aged 7-9 and 15-18 from the southwestern United States between 2024 and 2025, testing their reactions to two scenarios involving 10 runners completing a single lap around a soccer field.

In one event, every participant received a trophy, while in the other, only the top three finishers received one. Participants answered questions about how each scenario would affect runners' effort, pride, morality, and willingness to take risks. Both age groups strongly favored selective trophies over inclusive ones, suggesting adolescents anticipate more significant consequences from winner-only awards, such as cheating and physical risk-taking.