Poster #125 - Happy little benefactor: Prosocial behaviors promotes happiness in toddlers

• In Event: 3-206 - Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: PS 13 Section - Moral Development

Integrative Statement

The origins of prosocial behaviors have long been debated. Over the past decade, evidence that toddlers and young preschoolers display more happiness when sharing than receiving treats, especially when engaging in costly sharing compared to non-costly sharing, has been used to support the argument that humans, by nature, are prosocial (Aknin, Broesch, Hamlin, & Vondervoort, 2015; Aknin et al., 2013). However, whether this “warm glow” is specific for sharing behavior, or also applies to other prosocial behaviors (e.g., helping and comforting), is unclear. In addition, social interactions such as praise may also be emotionally rewarding. By replicating (using the same task) and extending previous studies (varying the number of resources, examining praise, and adding helping and comforting), the current study examined the relationships between prosocial behaviors and happiness under both individualistic (Dutch) and collectivistic (Chinese) cultures.
In study 1, 113 Dutch toddlers (M = 21.64 months, SD = 3.33 months, 59 boys) participated in a sharing task in which they received 8, 4 or 2 treats, followed by instrumental helping and comforting tasks (for the latter two tasks the toddlers were praised if they helped or comforted). Toddlers were videotaped during the experiment and happiness was coded afterwards. For the 79 Dutch toddlers who at least shared, helped or comforted once in the experiment, results showed that: (1) for sharing, consistent with previous findings, toddlers displayed more happiness when giving than receiving treats, and this was not related to the number of initially received resources. No difference was found between costly or non-costly sharing. (2) For instrumental helping, toddlers displayed more happiness after helping compared to before helping, and their happiness did not increase after being rewarded (praised). (3) For comforting, toddlers displayed similar levels of happiness after comforting or being praised, compared with witnessing the experimenter’s emotional distress (feeling cold).
Using the same tasks, in study 2, 101 Dutch toddlers who participated in study 1 were tested again one year later (M = 34.16 months, SD = 3.97 months, 55 boys), and 93 of them shared, helped or comforted once in the experiment. We found similar results for sharing and instrumental helping. For comforting, they showed higher levels of happiness after comforting the experimenter.
In study 3, 91 Chinese preschoolers (M = 48.54 months, SD = 6.15 months, 43 boys) participated in the same tasks mentioned above, and 84 of them at least shared, helped or comforted once in the experiment. Results for sharing and instrumental helping were similar to study 1 and 2. For comforting, similar to study 1, but not study 2, no difference in happiness was found before or after comforting the experimenter.
Taken together, these findings support the idea of the biological origins of prosocial behaviors, at least for sharing and instrumental helping. However, different from previous studies, no difference in happiness was found between costly and non-costly sharing. Additionally, comforting can be emotional rewarding, but more studies are needed to examine for whom and under what conditions this might be the case.

Authors

• Yue Song, Utrecht University
  Presenting Author

• Martine Broekhuizen, Utrecht University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Judith Semon Dubas, Utrecht University
  Non-Presenting Author