Child Helpers
A Multidisciplinary Perspective

Examines the development of child helpers in varied cultural contexts, reviewing evidence and discussing the benefits of the helper stage.

David F. Lancy (Author)

9781108738552, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 26 March 2020

75 pages, 8 b/w illus. 7 tables
23 x 15.1 x 0.5 cm, 0.14 kg

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.

1. Juvenile Helpers
2. Setting the Stage
3. Weighing the Evidence
4. Contrasting Cultural Contexts for Child Helpers
5. What are the Benefits of the Child's Need to Help?
6. Summary and Conclusions.

Subject Areas: Child & developmental psychology [JMC], Physical anthropology [JHMP], Sociology: work & labour [JHBL], Cultural studies [JFC]