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Updated: Nov 11, 2025
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Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
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Emotional Contexts Influence Toddlers' Prosocial Strategies
Meghan Rose Donohue1,2, Rebecca A Williamson1, Erin C Tully1
1Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA.
International Journal of Behavioral Development
|March 24, 2021
Summary
Toddlers show varied prosocial behaviors based on the situation. Their helping actions differ when they cause distress versus when they are bystanders, and when responding to sadness versus pain.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Prosocial behavior in young children is complex and context-dependent.
- Toddlers' responses vary based on the emotional needs of others.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how toddlers' prosocial responses are influenced by whether they caused distress and the specific emotion displayed (pain vs. sadness).
- To understand the nuances of toddler prosociality in different emotional contexts.
Main Methods:
- 86 toddlers (mean age 35 months) and their parents participated in two mishap paradigms.
- Parents feigned pain and sadness; toddlers were assigned as either transgressors or bystanders.
- Prosocial actions were recorded and analyzed based on context and emotion.
Main Results:
- Toddlers exhibited similar overall prosociality as transgressors and bystanders.
- Prosocial responses were significantly higher for sadness than for pain.
- Specific behaviors like affection and information seeking varied based on transgressor/bystander status and emotion.
Conclusions:
- Toddlers' prosocial behaviors are significantly influenced by the specific emotional context, including their role in causing distress and the emotion expressed.
- Findings highlight the sophisticated nature of early childhood prosocial development and decision-making.
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