They might look all cute and bubbly on the outside, but a new study suggests babies have a hidden mean streak – and even wish harm on people who they identify as different from them.
A University of B.C.-led psychology study found that infants as young as nine-months-old embrace those who pick on individuals who don't share their preferences.
Study lead author Kiley Hamlin said the findings reveal that babies are constantly busy assessing their surroundings, trying to determine who their friends and enemies are.
Hamlin said almost all of the 112 test babies acted the same during testing.
During the study, babies aged nine to 14 months chose a food they preferred to eat, either graham crackers or green beans.
The youngsters were then shown a puppet show where the character demonstrated the same food preference as the baby. Another puppet demonstrated the opposite preference.
The puppets harmed, helped or acted neutrally towards the puppets with different or similar food preferences.
Results showed that the babies far preferred the puppets who harmed the puppet with the opposite food preferences to their own. One baby even planted a kiss on the puppet she liked.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Study Reveals What Christians Already Knew: Babies Are Wicked
Ephesians 2:3 points out that, as sons and daughters of Adam, we are all born "children of wrath." A recent University of British Columbia study confirms what we Christians already knew from scripture:
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