Investigating the effects of prenatal testosterone exposure (via 2D:4D) and socio-relational factors on 3-6-year-old preschoolers' prosocial choices

Author(s)

Lisa Horn, Sonja Windhager, Nina Juricka, Thomas Bugnyar, Jorg J M Massen, Gabriela Markova

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Prosocial behavior such as helping and sharing develops early in childhood. Yet very few studies have investigated physiological and relational factors shaping prosociality among children. Here, we systematically examined the role of prenatal androgen exposure alongside prestige, dominance, and friendship in 3-6-year-old preschoolers' prosocial sharing with familiar peers.

METHODS: We tested a sample of 65 children, predominately of European descent. We used a cost-free direct-interaction prosocial choice task to assess children's prosocial tendencies. Second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) was used as a retrospective biomarker for prenatal androgen exposure. Prestige was measured through behavioral observations of interaction partners and visual regard, dominance through teacher questionnaires, and friendship via peer preference assessments.

RESULTS: We found that children acted prosocially when tested with a familiar peer. Children with lower 2D:4D (higher prenatal androgen exposure) behaved more prosocially. Further, there were marginal associations between the donors' prosocial tendencies and their visual regard as a proxy of their prestige (positive effect) and their teacher-rated dominance relative to the recipient (negative effect). Neither age, sex, nor friendship influenced prosocial choices.

CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal androgen exposure, approximated via 2D:4D, was associated with prosocial behavior. In contrast to previous research in older children, higher exposure was related to stronger prosocial tendencies, which corresponds to earlier findings on fairness in adults. Our findings point towards a potential role of sex steroids in the early development of children's social behavior, but they have to be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size of the current study. Nevertheless, they underscore the importance of integrating biological and psychological perspectives, while also highlighting the significance of studying the development of prosocial behavior within peer groups.

Organisation(s)

Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Research Network Human Evolution and Archaeological Sciences (HEAS), Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology

Journal

Early Human Development

Volume

195

Pages

106055

ISSN

0378-3782

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2024.106055

Publication date

08-2024

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

106018 Human biology, 106056 Biological anthropology, 501005 Developmental psychology, 106051 Behavioural biology

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health

Portal url

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/af875e38-ec5a-494d-81d0-504a9dca2e2e