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Should I stay or should I go? Three-year-olds' reactions to appropriate motives to interrupt a joint activity

Francesca Bonalumi1,2, Barbora Siposova3,4, Wayne Christensen2

  • 1Department of Cognitive Science, Central European University, Vienna, Austria.

Plos One
|July 13, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Three-year-olds do not differentiate between selfish or moral reasons when a partner interrupts a joint activity. However, some children proactively release partners, indicating a developing understanding of cooperation.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Moral Psychology

Background:

  • Cooperation is fundamental to social interaction.
  • Philosophical theories suggest moral obligations permit interrupting joint activities.
  • Understanding children's sensitivity to motives in joint actions is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if 3-year-old children differentiate motives for interrupting joint activities.
  • To assess children's reactions to partners leaving based on moral versus selfish reasons.
  • To explore children's understanding of cooperation and obligation.

Main Methods:

  • Sixty 3-year-old children participated in the study.
  • Children observed agents intentionally interrupting a joint activity.
  • Reactions (protest or release) were measured to assess understanding of motives.

Main Results:

  • Children did not show different reactions based on whether the motive was moral or selfish.
  • A consistent pattern emerged: some children released partners regardless of the motive.
  • This suggests a developing sensitivity to social dynamics in joint activities.

Conclusions:

  • Three-year-olds' understanding of interrupting joint activities is not fully sensitive to the legitimacy of motives.
  • The act of releasing a partner is a measurable indicator of understanding joint action.
  • Further research can explore the nuances of cooperation in early childhood.

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