Child Helpers

In most of the worlds'' distinct cultures children from toddlerhood eagerly volunteer to help others with their chores. Laboratory research in child psychology supports the claim that the helper stage is biologically based. This Element examines the development of helping in varied cultural contexts in particular reviewing evidence for supportive environments in the ethnographic record versus an environment that extinguishes the drive to be helpful in WEIRD children. In the last section the benefits of the helper stage are discussed specifically the development of an ability to work and learn collaboratively.