The Effect of Words and Actions on American Children's Prosocial Behavior

Summary

Fifty-four kindergarten and 54 sixth grade children participated in an investigation of the relative effects of a model's behavior and verbal exhortations on generosity. Following exposure to the model, the children won a nominal, fixed amount of money while playing a game and were given the opportunity to donate to charity. The results indicated that the older children exhibited a higher level of generosity than the young children. The children's generosity was not significantly affected by the model's exhortations or behaviors.