What Young Kids Know About Forgiveness

A new study suggests that preschoolers prefer people who are forgiving

The authors take this as evidence that showing forgiveness is one of the ways that humans have maintained cooperation over our history.Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

As much as we try to teach our kids to do good, research suggests that they already have the seeds of goodness within them. Kids as young as 18 months old spontaneously help others, enjoy helping, and prefer people who are kind.

For the first time, a new study suggests that preschoolers value another relationship-enhancing strength in others: forgiveness.