Aknin, L. B., Hamlin, J. K., &Dunn, E. W. (2012). Giving leads to happiness in young children. PLoS One, 7(6), e39211.
Evolutionary models of cooperation require proximate mechanisms that sustain prosociality despite inherent costs to individuals. The ‘‘warm glow’’ that often follows prosocial acts could provide one such mechanism; if so, these emotional benefits may be observable very early in development. Consistent with this hypothesis, the present study finds that before the age of two, toddlers exhibit greater happiness when giving treats to others than receiving ...