Cultural influences on sharer and recipient behavior - Sharing in Chinese and Indian preschool children

Seventy-two 4-year-old Chinese and Indian children were paired with a frien d and with an acquaintance in their class. One child (sharer) was given IO pieces each of his or her preferred and nonpreferred foods, whereas the par tner (recipient) was given one piece of each of the same foods. Sharing inc idents were classified to indicate whether they were initiated by the share r(spontaneous sharing) or due to the recipients' behavior (elicited and pas sive sharing). Friendship did not influence either the quantity or quality of sharing. Results indicated that young Asian children were more likely to share spontaneously and less likely to elicit sharing. Chinese children sh owed more spontaneous sharing than did Indian children; the majority of sha ring incidents in the Indian sample were classified as passive sharing. Fin dings highlight the importance of cultural beliefs on young children's beha vior and-of considering the interactive effects of the sharers' and recipie nts' behaviors on each other.