Rethinking Emotions in the Context of Infants’ Prosocial Behavior - The Role of Positive Emotions and Interest

Sep 1, 2026

Emotions underpin infants’ early social interactions, yet scholarship on their contribution to prosocial behavior largely centers on distress and other negative emotions. This literature review argues for a broader emotional palette: positive emotions and, in particular, interest. It reviews how positive emotions support everyday helping and the relationships that sustain it, then synthesizes evidence on interest and its proposed link to prosocial behavior development. Future research directions are outlined.

LanguageEnglish

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Abstract

Rethinking Emotions in the Context of Infants’ Prosocial Behavior

The Role of Positive Emotions and Interest

Positive Emotions and Everyday Prosocial Behavior

Rethinking Emotions in the Context of Infants’ Prosocial Behavior: The Role of Positive Emotions and Interest Stuart I. Hammond1 and Jesse K. Drummond2 1 School of Psychology, University of Ottawa 2 Portland, Maine, United States Author Note We have no conflicts of interest to disclose. An early version of these ideas was presented at the International Society for Research on Emotion in Berkeley while both authors were at the University of Pittsburgh working with Celia Brownell. Thank you to Celia Brownell and Danny Dukes for comments on a draft of this article. Thank you to Anisa Yan for proofreading and to Françoise Moreau-Johnson at the University of Ottawa’s Centre for Academic Leadership for leading writing groups for faculty. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Stuart I. Hammond, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada. Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:shammond@institution.edu" shammond@institution.edu Abstract Emotions form the foundation of infants’ early social interactions, yet the field’s current understanding of their role in prosocial behaviors is generally limited to situations of distress and other negative emotions. In the present literature review, we argue that both positive emotions and specifically the emotion of interest play important roles in prosocial behavior and development. First, we explore the ways in which positive emotions characterize infants’ everyday prosocial behaviors and the relationships that support these behaviors. We then examine the emotion of interest and its role in infants’ prosocial behavior. Next, we synthesize recent research on positive emotions in early prosocial development and make a first attempt at linking the emotion of interest to prosocial behavior. We close by discussing future directions for research on prosocial behavior with these emotions. Keywords: emotion understanding, interest, social development, prosocial behavior, infants Rethinking Emotions in the Context of Infants’ Prosocial Behavior: The Role of Positive Emotions and Interest Infants begin to care about and help others early in life. Already in the first year of life, infants cry in response to other infants’ cries (Hoffman, 2000, 2007). Thereafter, they begin to respond to more complex displays of distress and do so in more sophisticated ways, such as by comforting others (e.g., Davidov et al., 2013; Knafo et al., 2008). Alongside these developments, infants begin to help others who are unable to complete simple tasks (e.g., Warneken & Tomasello, 2006) and take part in everyday routines and chores (e.g., Carpendale et al., 2014; Dahl, 2015; Hammond & Brownell, 2018), which can contribute to young children playing an important role in family and community life (e.g., Rogoff, 2014). Broadly speaking, these developments are forms of prosocial behavior, voluntary behaviors intended to help others. Given that emotions are at the foundation of infants’ social development (e.g., Dunn, 2000; Greenspan & Shanker, 2004; Walle & Campos, 2012), emotions should be expected to play an important role in infants’ prosocial development. However, reflecting a larger paradox in the field of early social development, research into the role of emotions is quite limited (Gouin-Décarie et al., 2005; Liszkowski, 2013), and for prosocial behavior, this research is restricted to negative emotions. In other words, emotional prosocial behavior is elicited when others express distress, whereas other forms of prosocial behavior are presumably based on nonemotional structures of understanding. In this literature review, we argue that although negative emotions play a crucial role in infants’ prosocial development, early prosocial development is shaped by a wider emotional palette that includes positive emotions and the emotion of interest. A critical examination of the role of emotions in prosocial behavior is timely given that, on the basis of recent st

FAQs

Why does the literature review focus on emotions beyond distress?

Research on infants’ prosocial behavior has mainly emphasized negative emotions linked to others’ distress. The review argues that early prosocial development also depends on positive emotions and interest.

What role do positive emotions play in infants’ prosocial behavior?

Positive emotions characterize most infants’ everyday prosocial behaviors. Collaborative social interactions and supportive relationships may sustain prosocial actions even when contexts involve negativity.

How does interest relate to infants’ prosocial behavior?

Interest can motivate certain forms of helping and may support infants’ understanding of how to assist others. The review synthesizes recent research and links interest to prosocial development as a first attempt.

Sep 1, 2026

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