title: Foundations of cooperation in young children.
abstract: Observations and experiments show that human adults preferentially share resources with close relations, with people who have shared with them (reciprocity), and with people who have shared with others (indirect reciprocity). These tendencies are consistent with evolutionary theory but could also reflect the shaping effects of experience or instruction in complex, cooperative, and competitive societies. Here, we report evidence for these three tendencies in 3.5-year-old children, despite their limited experience with complex cooperative networks. Three pillars of mature cooperative behavior therefore appear to have roots extending deep into human development.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. krolson@gmail.com
authors.forename: Kristina R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: Elizabeth S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Spelke
mesh_terms: D000533:Altruism; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012919:Social Behavior; D012938:Social Perception