Young Children Selectively Avoid Helping People With Harmful Intentions

TLDR

The studies examined whether 3‑year‑olds selectively help others based on the others’ moral behaviors. In each study, children observed adults who either harmed, helped, or acted neutrally, and then their own helping choices were measured. Children helped harmful or intended‑harm actors less often than neutral or helpful actors, indicating that prosocial behavior is guided by the actor’s moral intentions rather than the outcome.

Abstract

Two studies investigated whether young children are selectively prosocial toward others, based on the others’ moral behaviors. In Study 1 ( N = 54), 3‐year‐olds watched 1 adult (the actor) harming or helping another adult. Children subsequently helped the harmful actor less often than a third (previously neutral) adult, but helped the helpful and neutral adults equally often. In Study 2 ( N = 36), 3‐year‐olds helped an actor who intended but failed to harm another adult less often than a neutral adult, but helped an accidentally harmful and a neutral adult equally often. Children’s prosocial behavior was thus mediated by the intentions behind the actor’s moral behavior, irrespective of outcome. Children thus selectively avoid helping those who cause—or even intend to cause—others harm.