Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2025
08:09
Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
11.4K
Friendship status and recipient's emotions both affect children's sharing behavior.
Martina Vogelsang1, Annika Schäfer1, Alina Ehrenreich1
1Developmental Psychology Group, Department of Psychology, University of Kassel 34127 Kassel, Germany.
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
|April 17, 2025
Summary
Preschoolers share more resources with friends and sad children, considering multiple recipient factors. General prosocial behavior did not influence their sharing decisions in this study.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Preschoolers' prosocial behavior, specifically resource sharing, is influenced by recipient characteristics.
- Previous research focused on single recipient traits, leaving a gap in understanding how multiple traits are processed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if preschoolers consider multiple recipient characteristics simultaneously when sharing.
- To examine the influence of general prosocial behavior on preschoolers' resource sharing decisions.
Main Methods:
- A dictator game was employed with 82 German preschoolers (ages 4.5-7.0).
- Participants shared stickers with fictitious peers described by friendship status (friend vs. non-friend) and emotional state (sad vs. happy).
- General prosocial behavior was assessed, including comforting and helping behaviors.
Main Results:
- Preschoolers shared significantly more stickers with friends than non-friends.
- More stickers were shared with sad recipients compared to happy recipients.
- No significant interaction was found between friendship status and recipient emotional state; general prosocial behavior did not predict sharing.
Conclusions:
- Preschoolers simultaneously process multiple recipient characteristics (friendship, emotional state) when making sharing decisions.
- Resource sharing in preschoolers may be distinct from other prosocial behaviors, as general prosocial tendencies did not correlate with sharing outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Socioemotional Development during Infancy
23
Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Primary Temperament Types
23
02:34Empathy
9.5K
Some researchers suggest that altruism operates on empathy. Empathy is the capacity to understand another person’s perspective, to feel what he or she feels. An empathetic person makes an emotional connection with others and feels compelled to help (Batson, 1991). Empathy can be expressed in several ways, including cognitive, affective, and motor.
9.5K
01:30Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development
16
Social-emotional experiences and cultural influences play significant roles in shaping gender development. During middle childhood, from ages 6 to 11, peer groups become dominant in reinforcing gender norms. Children in this age group often align with same-gender peer groups, which actively encourage behaviors that conform to traditional gender roles. For instance, boys may be discouraged from engaging in activities perceived as feminine, reinforcing culturally dictated norms about masculinity...
16
01:23Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
30
Adolescence is a pivotal period of identity formation, during which individuals begin to answer questions central to their sense of self, such as "Who am I?" and "Who do I hope to become?" Both parents and peers play critical roles in guiding adolescents through this complex developmental phase.
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
30
02:12Relationship Formation
39.4K
What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...
39.4K
03:26Framing Effects
7.3K
Information is everywhere and its presentation—such as how and when items are presented—can impact our perceptions and decisions surrounding the info. This broad concept umbrellas framing effects—influences that occur due to the way information is framed in its appearance, whether it’s purely the order or the specific wording of a message. Let’s take a look at numerous ways in which two versions of something can objectively say the same thing, yet we respond in...
7.3K