Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

4-25-2025

Keywords

altruism, children, developmental stage, prosocial tendencies, trust

Disciplines

Developmental Psychology

Abstract

Altruism is the combination of willingly and spontaneously helping others. Many studies have focused on the origin of these traits, whether they are innate or learned. Researchers are examining inborn altruism and studying the influence of external forces, such as parental role modeling and prosocial tendencies, that have an influence on children's altruistic behavior (Clay, 2006). Altruism is often associated with altering levels of trust however, in children altruism takes on various forms and definitions with each developmental stage and as more complex interactions with others take place.

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