Experiment finds altruism in 18 mo. babies

[Severian]

One for the "human nature is selfish" brigade:

BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4766490.stm)

Infants as young as 18 months show altruistic behaviour, suggesting humans have a natural tendency to be helpful, German researchers have discovered.

In experiments reported in the journal Science, toddlers helped strangers complete tasks such as stacking books.

Young chimps did the same, providing the first evidence of altruism in non human primates.

The New York Times has some more information (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/03/science/03chimp.html?_r=1&oref=slogin) and the Washington Post has a more detailed description of the experiment's procedure. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/02/AR2006030201728.html)

[Atlas Swallowed]

My wife brought up a good point about this. As many times in the first 18 months that a baby has someone pick up things for them(they drop things quite often) it probably only seems natural for them to pick things up for others. It is about as alturistic as flushing the toilet or turning on a light switch to the an adult. Babies also learn by repeating actions they see. When I wave at my six month old daughter long enough she waves back.

I think that selfishness is learned like most things though (except for two year olds :blink: ).

[CubaSocialista]

Originally posted by [email protected] 4 2006, 08:55 AM
One for the "human nature is selfish" brigade:

BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4766490.stm)

Infants as young as 18 months show altruistic behaviour, suggesting humans have a natural tendency to be helpful, German researchers have discovered.

In experiments reported in the journal Science, toddlers helped strangers complete tasks such as stacking books.

Young chimps did the same, providing the first evidence of altruism in non human primates.

The New York Times has some more information (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/03/science/03chimp.html?_r=1&oref=slogin) and the Washington Post has a more detailed description of the experiment's procedure. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/02/AR2006030201728.html)
Bless you for bringing this article to our attention.
It's something I've always suspected,
that humans are as capable of good as they are of evil, and that selfishness and altruism are the result of methods in which children are nurtured;
the coddled and loved become altruistic,
the spoiled and over-protected, as well as neglected, tend to be selfish.

[somebodywhowantedtoleaveandnotcomeback]

Delightful to hear. I had wondered about that some time ago :)

[STI]

I think that selfishness is learned like most things though (except for two year olds blink.gif ).

That makes me smile. Don't worry though, a two-year-old is bound to be selfish... it's just starting to realize that it exists as an independent self to begin with. As soon as they realize that it's "no big deal" to be a self, it pretty much ends. :lol:

[loveme4whoiam]

Oh cool - I used to be one of the "humans are selfish" brigade until I came onto here, and this is a great piece of evidence to use against those who mocked my change of heart as "idealist". Gracias Severian :)

[Wanted Man]

"All humans are naturally selfish and evil, which is why communism will never work." :rolleyes:

Hurrah for science.

[Janus]

This type of experiment seems a bit questionable particularly in how it was able to exclude certain factors. First of all, these children are old enough to learn. Therefore, it may have been possible that through learning, they figured out that they could be rewarded through their altruistic behavior i.e. operant conditioning. As a result, I am a bit skeptical on whether this type of behavior is truly innate or just learned though I sincerely wish that it is "human nature". :)

[Severian]

You have a point, Janus, and I wouldn't claim this one study entirely settles all dispute on human altruism.

But it is one data point against the view that humans are "naturally selfish."

[Janus]

But it is one data point against the few that humans are "naturally selfish."
I agree in that not much has been proven that it is "nature" to be selfish.

[RebelDog]

Hello brothers and sisters.
My first ever post on this great forum;



Humans are by nature selfish, but also by nature altruistic and social. There is no biological reason why socialism would not work. In a socialist world the human capabilty of selfishness would still exist but would be largely unnecessary and thus moribund as a behavioural trait. Socialism would encourge and nurture what is great about a human. Our collective power harnessed through human cooperation would bring us to the real meaning of the word civilisation.