We investigated children's positive emotions as an indicator of their underlying prosocial motivation. In Study 1, 2-, and 5-year-old children (N = 64) could either help an individual or watch as another person provided help. Following the helping event and using depth sensor imaging, we measured children's positive emotions through changes in postural elevation. For 2-year-olds, helping the individual and watching another person help was equally rewarding; 5-year-olds showed greater postural elevation after actively helping. In Study 2, 5-year-olds’ (N = 59) positive emotions following helping were greater when an audience was watching. Together, these results suggest that 2-year-old children have an intrinsic concern that individuals be helped whereas 5-year-old children have an additional, strategic motivation to improve their reputation by helping.

中文翻译：

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儿童早期帮助动机发生发展转变的证据

我们调查了儿童的积极情绪，以此作为他们潜在的亲社会动机的指标。在研究 1 中，2 岁和 5 岁的儿童（N  = 64）可以帮助一个人或观看另一个人提供帮助。在帮助事件之后并使用深度传感器成像，我们通过姿势抬高的变化来测量儿童的积极情绪。对于 2 岁的孩子来说，帮助自己和看着别人帮助是同样有益的；5 岁的孩子在积极帮助后表现出更大的姿势抬高。在研究 2 中，5 岁儿童的 ( N = 59）当有观众观看时，帮助后的积极情绪会更大。总之，这些结果表明，2 岁的儿童有一种内在的担忧，即个人会得到帮助，而 5 岁的儿童有一个额外的战略动机，即通过帮助来提高他们的声誉。