What question did this study set out to answer?

To explore how children's willingness to reciprocate prosocial acts is influenced by revealed selfish intentions of an agent.

March 21, 2026PLoS ONEOpen Access

When revealed after the fact, selfish intentions undermine prosocial actions in 5-year-olds

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Investigates how revealed selfish intentions influence children's responses to prosocial actions, suggesting implications for social learning.

To explore how children's willingness to reciprocate prosocial acts is influenced by revealed selfish intentions of an agent.
Children played a game with a puppet demonstrating prosocial behavior.
After the game, the puppet revealed either a selfish or prosocial intention.
Children's willingness to reciprocate the prosocial act was measured.
Children were less likely to share when the puppet revealed a selfish intention.
No differences were found in children's social evaluations of the puppet between conditions.

Dotson et al. (2026) studied this question.

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March 21, 2026PLoS ONEOpen Access

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

Investigates how revealed selfish intentions influence children's responses to prosocial actions, suggesting implications for social learning.

To explore how children's willingness to reciprocate prosocial acts is influenced by revealed selfish intentions of an agent.
Children played a game with a puppet demonstrating prosocial behavior.
After the game, the puppet revealed either a selfish or prosocial intention.
Children's willingness to reciprocate the prosocial act was measured.
Children were less likely to share when the puppet revealed a selfish intention.
No differences were found in children's social evaluations of the puppet between conditions.

Dotson et al. (2026) studied this question.

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark