When do children begin to care for others? The ontogenetic growth of empathic concern across the first two years of life

• Published in: Cognitive development Vol. 70; p. 101439
• Main Authors: Paulus, Markus, Becher, Tamara, Christner, Natalie, Kammermeier, Marina, Gniewosz, Burkhard, Pletti, Carolina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.04.2024
• Subjects: Empathic concern; Maternal sensitivity; Self-recognition; Temperament; Empathic concern; Maternal sensitivity; Temperament; Self-recognition

Empathic concern for others plays a central role for human cooperation and is proposed to be key in moral development. Developmental theories disagree on the age of emergence of empathic concern in human ontogeny and the factors supporting its early development. To assess different theoretical views...