Children contribute to group projects when there are clear and common goals
A new study examined children’s responses during a game where targets could only be achieved by working together

A lot of the challenges facing society today involve choices between one’s self-interest and contributing to the greater good.
Dr Patricia Kanngiesser
Associate Professor in Psychology
This game focused on children at an age where they develop a sense of competition. We might have expected that to become a factor when the children realised how others in their group were behaving, but that was largely not the case. It demonstrates that with meaningful targets and the right feedback, we can help individuals to look beyond their own self-interest towards action that has the potential to benefit society more broadly.