What You Want Versus What's Good for You: Paternalistic Motivation in Children's Helping Behavior

• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12637
• Publication Date: 2016-11-07T16:58:00Z
• Authors: Alia Martin; Kelsey Lin; Kristina R. Olson
• Keywords: Paternalism; Helping behavior; Prosocial Behavior

Children help others to complete their goals. Yet adults are sometimes motivated in a “paternalistic” way, overriding recipient's desires if they conflict with the best interests. Experiments investigated whether 5‐year‐olds ( n = 100) consider desire, and consequences of fulfilling this when helping. overrode request for chocolate favor giving fruit snacks, would make recipient sick. did not override carrots, even sick, but gave carrots requested them. By age 5, children balance different motivations helping, considering desires, them, alternative forms helping available.