Hamlin, J. K., Wynn, K., & Bloom, P. (2007).
Nature, 450(7169), 557–559.
Abstract
The capacity to evaluate other people is essential for navigating the social world. Humans must be able to assess the actions and intentions of the people around them, and make accurate decisions about who is friend and who is foe, who is an appropriate social partner and who is not. Indeed, all social animals benefit from the capacity to identify individual conspecifics that may help them, and to distinguish these individuals from others that may harm them. Human adults evaluate people rapidly and automatically on the basis of both behaviour and physical features1,2,3,4,5,6, but the ontogenetic origins and development of this capacity are not well understood. Here we show that 6- and 10-month-old infants take into account an individual’s actions towards others in evaluating that individual as appealing or aversive: infants prefer an individual who helps another to one who hinders another, prefer a helping individual to a neutral individual, and prefer a neutral individual to a hindering individual. These findings constitute evidence that preverbal infants assess individuals on the basis of their behaviour towards others. This capacity may serve as the foundation for moral thought and action, and its early developmental emergence supports the view that social evaluation is a biological adaptation.
Here are some thoughts:
Researchers have long debated whether babies are born with a sense of morality or develop it through experience. Initial studies suggested infants prefer helpful individuals, but recent research casts doubt on the idea of hardwired morality. A large replication study using video stimuli found that infants did not consistently favor pro-social figures.
Experts suggest that babies may need more time to develop strong moral impressions, and that subtle changes in research methods can influence infant behavior. Theories from Piaget and Kohlberg suggest moral reasoning evolves over time, requiring cognitive growth that babies have not yet reached. Cultural influences and parental guidance also play a significant role in shaping a child's moral compass.
Researchers are exploring new methods like eye-tracking and brain imaging to better understand infant responses. Some propose that innate compassion or empathy may exist, while others believe moral awareness develops through repeated exposure to caring acts. Large-scale, cross-cultural studies and new data collection methods may provide a fuller picture of early moral inclinations. The debate continues, with ongoing research aiming to understand how humans begin to judge right from wrong.
