Nov 10 2009
Quick Hits: Nurturing Pro-Social Behavior
Genetic influences play a mammoth role in human behavior. Put bluntly, no genes, no behavior. In the very least, genes provide the biological foundation for the environment to nurture and shape.
Two studies on social behavior, published earlier this most recent half-year, independently show that while we may come into the world ready to “get along” with others, our social settings and experiences play a role in how well we do.
1. Harriet Over and Malinda Carpenter of the Max Planck Institute found that 18 month-old children could be primed to behave more prosocially (offer help to an adult who dropped an object) simply by first observing a scene in which two dolls sat facing one another, versus facing away. Fascinating. [source]
2. In a statistical study using data on neighboring social groups, researchers at the University of California Davis found that shared culture better accounted for differences in altruistic behavior than did genes. Not surprising, but interesting nonetheless. [source]
As a person with a largely humanistic worldview, my general thoughts on the matter are, “Well, yes, we are all human. We all are born with an interest in and ability for forming harmonious, mutually beneficial, social relationships.” Certainly, there is a significant amount of difference in terms of how interested and able specific individuals may become. But our native propensities can certainly be encouraged or discouraged by our social environment and learning experiences.
