The Role of Recipients’ Inter-Group Relations and Routine Behaviors in the Development of Children’s Sharing Behavior

Sharing with others is an important prosocial behavior, which is widely developed in early childhood. Numerous studies have demonstrated that single characteristics (routine behaviors or inter-group relations) of the recipient impact children’s sharing behavior. However, there is still a lack of und...

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Main Authors: Hang Liu, Zhengmei Ma, Shiyin Chen, Lijie Zhang, Lu Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Behavioral Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/3/254
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author Hang Liu
Zhengmei Ma
Shiyin Chen
Lijie Zhang
Lu Wang
author_facet Hang Liu
Zhengmei Ma
Shiyin Chen
Lijie Zhang
Lu Wang
author_sort Hang Liu
collection DOAJ
description Sharing with others is an important prosocial behavior, which is widely developed in early childhood. Numerous studies have demonstrated that single characteristics (routine behaviors or inter-group relations) of the recipient impact children’s sharing behavior. However, there is still a lack of understanding of the factors that influence sharing decisions in children with dual characteristics. In Experiment 1, 112 children aged 4–6 years (<i>M<sub>age</sub></i> = 5.55, girls account for 50%) participated in a sticker-sharing task, and the results indicated that older children (aged 5 and 6 years) were more willing to share and shared more stickers. Additionally, children shared more stickers with recipients who exhibited good routine behaviors compared to those who had poor behaviors. In total, 134 children aged 4–6 years (<i>M<sub>age</sub></i> = 5.47, girls account for 50.1%) participated in Experiment 2. The results indicated that children share more stickers with a friend than with a stranger. When recipients possessed dual characteristics, they shared more stickers with a stranger who had good routine behaviors than with a friend who had poor ones. Therefore, children are selective in their sharing, and when confronted with a recipient with dual characteristics, children prioritize the recipient’s prior performance of moral norms over interpersonal distance.
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spelling doaj-art-2d371a73d6c5487d97a85cc35b5fd5ea2025-08-20T02:42:41ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-02-0115325410.3390/bs15030254The Role of Recipients’ Inter-Group Relations and Routine Behaviors in the Development of Children’s Sharing BehaviorHang Liu0Zhengmei Ma1Shiyin Chen2Lijie Zhang3Lu Wang4Faculty of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, ChinaFaculty of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, ChinaFaculty of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, ChinaFaculty of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, ChinaFaculty of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, ChinaSharing with others is an important prosocial behavior, which is widely developed in early childhood. Numerous studies have demonstrated that single characteristics (routine behaviors or inter-group relations) of the recipient impact children’s sharing behavior. However, there is still a lack of understanding of the factors that influence sharing decisions in children with dual characteristics. In Experiment 1, 112 children aged 4–6 years (<i>M<sub>age</sub></i> = 5.55, girls account for 50%) participated in a sticker-sharing task, and the results indicated that older children (aged 5 and 6 years) were more willing to share and shared more stickers. Additionally, children shared more stickers with recipients who exhibited good routine behaviors compared to those who had poor behaviors. In total, 134 children aged 4–6 years (<i>M<sub>age</sub></i> = 5.47, girls account for 50.1%) participated in Experiment 2. The results indicated that children share more stickers with a friend than with a stranger. When recipients possessed dual characteristics, they shared more stickers with a stranger who had good routine behaviors than with a friend who had poor ones. Therefore, children are selective in their sharing, and when confronted with a recipient with dual characteristics, children prioritize the recipient’s prior performance of moral norms over interpersonal distance.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/3/254childrenshareroutine behaviorsinter-group relationsmoral judgments
spellingShingle Hang Liu
Zhengmei Ma
Shiyin Chen
Lijie Zhang
Lu Wang
The Role of Recipients’ Inter-Group Relations and Routine Behaviors in the Development of Children’s Sharing Behavior
Behavioral Sciences
children
share
routine behaviors
inter-group relations
moral judgments
title The Role of Recipients’ Inter-Group Relations and Routine Behaviors in the Development of Children’s Sharing Behavior
title_full The Role of Recipients’ Inter-Group Relations and Routine Behaviors in the Development of Children’s Sharing Behavior
title_fullStr The Role of Recipients’ Inter-Group Relations and Routine Behaviors in the Development of Children’s Sharing Behavior
title_full_unstemmed The Role of Recipients’ Inter-Group Relations and Routine Behaviors in the Development of Children’s Sharing Behavior
title_short The Role of Recipients’ Inter-Group Relations and Routine Behaviors in the Development of Children’s Sharing Behavior
title_sort role of recipients inter group relations and routine behaviors in the development of children s sharing behavior
topic children
share
routine behaviors
inter-group relations
moral judgments
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/3/254
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