We investigated empathy-related reasoning as it emerged in children's developing environmental moral commitments. We drew on psychological research on morality and emotion and environmental philosophy to assess (1) children's empathy-related reasoning and (2) the links between empathy and moral concerns. Fifty-two children (ages 7 and 10 years old) were interviewed about their concerns for protecting endangered species. Empathy-related reasoning was associated with moral concerns for the welfare and rights of animals. We employed environmental philosopher Lori Gruen's entangled empathy framework to discuss the ways in which children extended moral concern to animals. We illuminate areas of tension between current psychological theory and praxis while pointing toward areas of further research.
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