From Cost-Perception to Gain-Construction: Toward a Piagetian Explanation of the Development of Altruism in Children

Abstract

This study provides some data to help explain the development of altruism in children in accordance with a theoretical perspective which integrates the two micromodels Piaget used successively to account for the child's transition from intuitive or preoperational to reversible or operational thought. One of those models is guided by games theory and involves a cost-gain evaluation. The other is based on equilibration theory, and hence on the priority of affirmation over negation before the child attains the compensatory equilibrium of operational logic. On the basis of this theoretical perspective, it is hypothesised that children are more likely with age to consider altruistic acts in terms of gain-gain-construction than in terms of cost-cost-perception. Ninety children (30 5-6 years old, 30 8-9 years old, and 30 11-12 years old) were individually tested. They listened to a story describing two hypothetical actions: one altruistic (comforting), the other egoistic (not comforting). Children were then asked some questions concerning their cost-perception/ gain-construction in these actions. Results showed that children were more likely with age to consider the altruistic act in terms of gain-construction (negation) than in terms of cost-perception (affirmation). Although the findings of this research strengthen the possibility of seeing the development of altruism in children in accordance with the two aforementioned Piagetian micromodels, the paper concludes with a cautious interpretation of the results and calls for further empirical and conceptual efforts.