ABSTRACT

This article introduces a developmental perspective on kindness. The central goal is to posit a new framework for the study of kindness and its development. From an ethical perspective, kindness can be considered a virtue. It reflects emotions, cognitions, and inner states that convey a particular gentleness and benevolence. These orientations can be directed towards others, such as expressing concern for a needy other, or directed towards the self, such as being gentle with oneself. Therefore, the proposed approach suggests a distinction between self- and other-orientedness and delineates the development of the affective, cognitive, and behavioural components of kindness across the first two decades of life. This developmental model of kindness lays the groundwork for a more complete understanding of the human capacity for prosociality across development. It provides new means for developing interventions that aim to nurture every child’s kindness and help them reach their full potential. The model assumes that intervention efforts will be beneficial at nurturing kindness when they a) acknowledge that the balance between self- and other-oriented tendencies is beneficial to remain healthy and contribute to a greater good, b) are developmentally sensitive, and c) enhance multiple facets of kindness in the child and in the environment.

摘要

本文介绍了善意的发展视角。中心目标是为研究善意及其发展建立一个新的框架。从伦理的角度来看，善良可以被认为是一种美德。它反映了情感、认知和内心状态，传达了一种特殊的温柔和仁慈。这些取向可以针对他人，例如表达对有需要的他人的关心，或针对自我，例如对自己温和。因此，所提出的方法表明了自我导向和他人导向之间的区别，并描述了生命最初二十年中善良的情感、认知和行为成分的发展。这种仁慈的发展模式为更全面地了解人类在整个发展过程中的亲社会能力奠定了基础。它为发展干预措施提供了新的手段，旨在培养每个孩子的善良并帮助他们充分发挥潜力。该模型假设干预努力在以下情况下有利于培养善意：a) 承认自我导向和他人导向的倾向之间的平衡有利于保持健康并为更大的利益做出贡献，b) 对发展敏感，以及 c) 增强善意在儿童和环境中的多个方面。