‘Studies on the Spark of Altruistic Behaviour in Children 0-2 Years Old’: Results Summary

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• It was found that for infants and toddlers to adopt altruistic behaviour, it is important that they gain experience through ‘imitation’ while playing with fellow children.

• It was found that for children to adopt altruistic behaviour, it is important that they engage in play that allows an atmosphere of freedom, such as play that encourages challenge, play with a slight sense of danger, and so on.

• It was additionally found that when the adults closest to children, such as parents and childcare providers, had altruistic relationships, children more readily engaged in altruistic behaviour.

 

Context and Purpose of Research

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In recent years, there has been an increase in nuclear families, a decrease in number of siblings, and a remarkable decline in opportunities for children to play with each other within their communities, and so on. Under these circumstances, children are shown to have a decreasing number of opportunities to interact with people outside their families and to learn to be accepting of differences. This being the case, what kind of environment is necessary for children to internalise the ability to live as members of society? Additionally, what can parents and childcare providers do to encourage this?

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This research focused on altruistic behaviour (thinking of others, acting in a way that makes others happy) in children. With that premise, the aim was to discover, with respect to children 0-2 years old, (1) what route they take to engaging in altruistic behaviour, and (2) what human/physical environment is conducive to them engaging in altruistic behaviour.

 

To achieve this aim, an observational study and survey of parent-child drop-in centres was conducted. Conducting the research at parent-child drop-in centres allows, in addition to observation of children, observation of the parent-child, parent-parent, and parent-child-caregiver relationships from a wider perspective.

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Altruistic behaviour, said to be unique to humans, is a very interesting current theme from the perspective of comparative developmental psychology in relation to primates and brain science. However, no other studies attempt to grasp the process by which children adopt this altruistic behaviour by performing research in the actual places they grow up, rather than in a laboratory.

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Results Summary 　PDF FILE DOWN LOAD(in English)

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