Friendly children more moral

Children develop morality from relationships

Children who have developed friendships are more likely to know the difference between right and wrong, say researchers.

Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry in London say that a study of four year olds has revealed that children who were able to make friends had a greater moral awareness.

This was measured in terms of children understanding that pushing over other children or snatching toys or name-calling was undesirable behaviour.

"Relationships, even among such young children, are likely to foster understandings of moral issues. Our study shows that friendships can be fine-tuned to the needs and welfare of another person," said Professor Judy Dunn.

Children were interviewed to find their attitude towards "bad" behaviour - with the conclusion that the children with closer relationships among their peers showed greater "moral sensitivity or empathy".

Girls 'understand feelings'

But there were differences between boys and girls, say the researchers. Girls' morality was based on "understanding the feelings" of those who might be injured or upset by bad behaviour.

Boys' assessment of right and wrong depended on "mindreading" the type of reactions that might follow an aggressive action against another pupil.

Children's social background was also seen to play a part in their early interpretations of morality, with the children of better-educated parents having a more "judgemental" approach to what was and was not allowed.

The study has been published in the British Journal of Developmental Psychology.