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http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2009/09/01/iowa-leads-way-on-child-manipulation-newest-study-finds-guilt-ridden-kids-less-likely-to-stab-peers-later-in-life/
Basically, a study was performed on two year old kids. They were handed
a toy, and told that it was very important to the researcher. The toy
was rigged so it would fall apart when the kids handled it, and they got
a healthy dose of guilt out of it.
Fast forward a few years, and the kids who had "had the most acute
reaction to breaking the toy had the fewest behavioral problems. The
researchers posit that kids who are introduced to the
soon-to-be-lifelong-companion guilt at an early age learn self-control
and conscientiousness based on the memories of the terrible feeling
generated by Letting Somebody Down."
Why do the researcher see this as being plausible? It seems much more
likely to me that the kids who (will eventually) have the fewest
behavioral problems are the ones who are most likely to display an
"acute reaction" to guilt.
In other words, while the researchers think that experiencing guilt
teaches kids to behave, I think kids who behave are more likely to feel
guilt.
Or am I missing something?
...Chambers
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