Advertisement
Generous Toddlers In New Study May Explain The Root Of Altruism
It's hard to find a definitive answer to the age-old question: Are humans born good? According to new research1, we may have more answers. In a recent study, researchers found that an inherent "goodness" can begin in a person as early as infancy.
What was the research?
The research was conducted with 96 infants, ranging between 19 and 20 months old. The experiment tested if babies would help a stranger in need, using different kinds of fruit as the main driving force. Researchers presented a fruit to each baby, talked excitedly about the fruit, and then dropped it in reaching distance of the baby. Based on the group, the researcher would either reach for the fruit and fail to pick it up or just leave it be. In the group where the researcher showed a struggle for the fruit, babies were much more likely to pick up the fruit and hand it to the stranger without any verbal prompting.
Researchers then tested to see if the results were still applicable when infants hadn't already eaten, conducting the study at a typical feeding time for the children. Even when hungry, they offered the fruit back to the researcher, prioritizing someone else's needs over their own needs—the key to altruism.
Why does it matter?
"We think altruism is important to study because it is one of the most distinctive aspects of being human. It is an important part of the moral fabric of society," says lead author Rodolfo Cortes Barragan, Ph.D. "We adults help each other when we see another in need, and we do this even if there is a cost to the self. So we tested the roots of this in infants."
The fact that babies were able to sacrifice their needs to help a struggling stranger without verbal instruction or any real understanding of their motivations shows that altruism may be an inherent trait that some are just born with.
What's next?
According to Barragan, "We think certain family and social experiences make a difference, and continued research would be desirable to more fully understand what maximizes the expression of altruism in young children. If we can discover how to promote altruism to our kids, this could move us toward a more caring society."
Watch Next
Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes
Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes
What Is Meditation?
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Light Watkins
Box Breathing
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar
What Breathwork Can Address
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar
The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?
Yoga | Caley Alyssa
Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips
Yoga | Caley Alyssa
How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance
Nutrition | Rich Roll
What to Eat Before a Workout
Nutrition | Rich Roll
How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life
Nutrition | Sahara Rose
Messages About Love & Relationships
Love & Relationships | Esther Perel
Love Languages
Love & Relationships | Esther Perel
What Is Meditation?
Box Breathing
What Breathwork Can Address
The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?
Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips
How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance
What to Eat Before a Workout
How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life
Messages About Love & Relationships
Love Languages
Advertisement
