lucky kids

hey. I listened to this podcast this morning, and it made me think.

http://podcast.sciam.com/daily/sa_d_podcast_061115.mp3
slightly more info here:
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2006/11.09/11-luck.html

"[T]his innocuous preference for the privileged may eventually grow more harmful, further increasing negativity toward the disadvantaged. Such preferences may, in turn, help explain the persistence of social inequality."

My comment: in places where I read synopses of this study, there seems to be a sociobiological bent to the interpretation, ie "this natural childhood phenomenon could explain persistent social inequality."

I lean toward the social conditioning explanation, which seems to be getting a lot less play: "Hmm. So kids learn by age five to side with the advantaged. Not unsurprising, I guess."