December 01, 2009
In a new book by developmental psychologist Michael Tomasello, Professor at the Max Planck Institute, there are details of a startling new study which shows that
infants and chimpanzees are naturally helpful and co-operative at very young ages - an age where they have not yet been conditioned by society. This suggests we are naturally born to collaborate and contribute to others, and it is not something that we have to be socialised to do. What is even more interesting is that when they rewarded the infants for helping (with small toys) the rate of helpfulness went down! When something is intrinsically motivating - like collaboration for the greater good - reward programmes based on the assumption we are inherently selfish (and thus need incentives to perform) could be inappropriate and even damaging.
