And, of course, they prefer to keep the good ones. As social beings that we are, since we were little we face the other with certain instincts of relationship, such as distinction between "allies" and "enemies". The scientific weekly Nature He has published an article that states that babies can already make that distinction based on physical features.
Although the study cannot be read on-line If you are not subscribed to the magazine, in DePsicología.com they make an analysis of it and we already talk to you in Babies and more about the mechanism used in the study. Recall the conclusion: babies, having seen a good deed and a bad one, prefer to stay with those who have starred in the good deed.
Even before walking, a baby is able to distinguish someone who can harm him from someone who can help him. Obviously, it will be those friendly people who will count among their favorites. To support this thesis, the author, a doctor of psychology, studied 2 groups of children between 6 and 10 months, who was shown a puppet show.
In the function the protagonists were geometric figures with eyes: a circle trying to climb a hill next to a triangle (also with eyes) that tried to lift it so that it could reach the top. Finally "the bad guy in the movie" appeared, a square that instead of helping pulled the circumference to prevent it from rising.
After the show, the babies were offered the figures to play with them. The little ones chose to play with the good and put aside the evil square. Even when in the puppet show they introduced a neutral figure that did not help or harm they continued to choose to play with the one who helped. In the case that they were only offered the "bad" figure and the circumference, they chose the latter.
In conclusion, they always rejected and turned away from the bad square, and even if it had not done them any direct harm. According to the article published in NatureThis capacity can be a biological adaptation to the service of survival, but at the same time it can be the basis of subsequent ethical development.
That is, instinct and society, already present in us since we were born. How soon the little ones "learn"!
