In a lab at the University of British Columbia, beneath the glow of fluorescent lights, a toddler—still too young to form a complete sentence—sat before a small bowl of Goldfish crackers and a plush puppet named “Monkey.”
When asked to share a cracker, the child did something that might surprise anyone who believes young children are inherently self-centered. Instead of hoarding the treat, she extended her tiny hand and gave Monkey a cracker, eliciting a friendly “YUMMM!” sound.
