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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 23, 2026

A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats

A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats

Published on: February 20, 2019

Infants Choose Those Who Defer in Conflicts.

Ashley J Thomas¹, Barbara W Sarnecka²

¹Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

Current Biology : CB

|June 25, 2019

Summary

Human infants, like many animals, initially avoid high-status individuals. However, by toddlerhood, humans shift to approach high-status individuals, recognizing their potential benefits.

Keywords:

dominance infant social cognition social evaluation social hierarchy

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Area of Science:

Developmental Psychology
Social Cognition
Evolutionary Anthropology

Background:

Social status is crucial in social species, influencing access to resources, mates, and territory.
Human infants are sensitive to dominance cues, expecting larger or allied individuals to win conflicts.
While many species avoid high-status individuals due to aggression, humans may benefit from associating with them.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether 10- to 16-month-old human infants prefer high- or low-status individuals.
To examine how infants' preference for high-status individuals changes with age, specifically comparing infants to toddlers.

Main Methods:

Six experiments were conducted using puppets to represent individuals in zero-sum conflicts.
Infants' choices between puppets that won or yielded in conflicts were observed.
Results were compared with previous findings on older toddlers' preferences.

Main Results:

10- to 16-month-old infants consistently chose puppets that yielded in conflicts (low-status).
In contrast, toddlers only 6 months older preferred puppets that won conflicts (high-status).
This indicates a developmental shift in preference from avoiding to approaching high-status individuals.

Conclusions:

Early human social preferences mirror those of many non-human species, initially avoiding high-status individuals.
A significant developmental shift occurs in toddlerhood, where individuals begin to approach high-status others.
This shift aligns with the understanding that high-status individuals in human societies offer guidance and protection.