How do I affect my fellow human beings? It is well known that concern for one’s own image plays a major role in human social life. But when do such behaviors develop? One study suggests deep roots: According to the experiments, two-year-olds already perceive that they could be judged and adjust their behavior accordingly.
Do I look good? Do I appear intelligent, original, successful …? Which aspects are important to us when it comes to affecting our fellow human beings differs greatly from one person to another. But one thing is fundamentally clear: their image is usually very important to people. Concern for one’s own reputation manifests itself in innumerable forms, sometimes even veritable flowers of vanity – from sales in the cosmetics and fashion industry to constant checking of how many “likes” a Facebook entry collects.
“There is something specifically human in the way we are sensitive to the judging gaze of others and how systematically and strategically we try to control the perception,” says Philippe Rochat from Emory University in Atlanta. “The foundation of our concern about image management and reputation is the fear of rejection – a main engine of the human psyche.” His co-author Sara Valencia Botto adds: “If we want to understand human nature, we should know when and how the basis of image maintenance is created “. Both psychologists investigated this question experimentally in their study.
A total of 144 children with an average age of around 20 months took part in the study. A robot was used as a test object in individual sessions. In the first experiment, one of the researchers first showed each child how to control the robot using a remote control. Then he either observed the child demonstratively with a neutral expression or turned away and pretended to read a magazine. The evaluations of the records of the small test subjects documented: When the children were observed, they showed more inhibitions in using the remote control than when the researcher was not looking.
Early development is emerging
In the second experiment, the researchers then used two different remote controls. While using the first one, the presenter smiled and said, “Wow! Isn’t that great? “When he used the second remote control, however, he frowned and said negatively:” Uh-oh! Oops, oh no! ”After the researcher invited the child to play with the toy, he either observed the child again demonstratively or turned to the newspaper. In this case it was found that the children devoted themselves significantly more to the remote control, which was rated positively, while they were being observed. They were also interested in the poorly rated remote control – although they preferred to use it when the researcher was reading the newspaper and not looking at it. In control experiments, the researchers were able to show that the children used two remote controls that were assessed the same way with the same frequency – regardless of whether the researcher was watching or not.
The series of experiments was rounded off by another experiment in which two presenters were involved. Before the child, they used the same remote control one after the other. One of the researchers smiled and gave a positive assessment: “Great! The toy moved when you used the remote control ”. The second researcher, however, frowned and said, “Oh no! The toy moves when you press this remote control ”. The child was then invited again to play with the toy, while the two researchers took turns – either observing or having their backs turned to the child. It turned out that the children used the remote control significantly more often when the researcher who gave the positive assessment was watching.
According to the researchers, the results show that even toddlers are aware of the judgments of others and also understand that they could be judged according to this opinion. In response, they then adjust their behavior in order to work well in the eyes of the respective opinion leader. “We were surprised by the flexibility of the children towards the reactions of others”, Botto sums up.
Source: Emory Health Sciences, Developmental Psychology, doi: 10.1037 / dev0000548