Abstract

A casual glance at current news and events in different societies might lead us to believe that most children and youth are aggressive and selfish. There appears to be a social epidemic of hurtful and harmful behaviors among our youth. On any given day, relatively very few instances of kindness, helpfulness, and generosity are portrayed in the mass media. However, common sense tells us that most children are basically good and helpful. Most of us know firsthand about the many acts of benevolence and kindness that children and youth exhibit. What are the origins of these positive traits? What are the different behavioral manifestations of these traits? And how are they maintained, fostered, or promoted through life?