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Paying back those who harmed us but not those who helped us: Direct negative reciprocity precedes direct positive reciprocity in early development

N. Chernyak,Kristin L. Leimgruber,Yarrow Dunham,Jingshi Hu,Peter R. Blake

Published 2019 in Unknown venue

ABSTRACT

The principle of direct reciprocity, or paying back specific individuals, is assumed to be a critical component of everyday social exchange and a key mechanism for the evolution of cooperation. Young children know the norm of reciprocity, but it is unclear whether they follow the norm for both positive and negative direct reciprocity or whether reciprocity is initially generalized. Across 5 experiments (N=330), we show that children between 4 and 8 years of age engaged in negative direct reciprocity but generalized positive reciprocity, despite recalling benefactors. Children did not endorse the norm of positive direct reciprocity as applying to them until about 7 years of age (Study 4), but a short social norm training enhanced this behavior in younger children (Study 5). Results suggest that negative direct reciprocity develops early, whereas positive reciprocity only becomes targeted to specific others as children learn and adopt social norms.

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