Toddlers Love Winners but Hate Bullies, Study Says

Everyone likes a winner—including toddlers, according to a new study. But while youngsters appreciate people who come out on top, they’re not fans of those who forget their manners along the way.

Researchers have found that toddlers 21 to 31 months old tend to gravitate toward “high-ranking individuals,” such as winners, but not if the individuals reach success using force.

To conduct the study, the team organized a series of puppet shows for toddlers to watch. First, one puppet crossed the stage repeatedly, from right to left. Then, another puppet crossed the stage from left to right. The two puppets met in the middle, blocking each other’s path.

There were two possible scenarios that played out. In one instance, one puppet moved out of the way, allowing the other to pass. The second outcome involved one of the puppets rudely shoving the other one out of the way.

After the show, the kids were asked which puppet they liked best. Most toddlers preferred the puppet that “won” because the other puppet moved out of the way. But they didn’t like it if the “winner” pushed the other puppet out of the way. In that set-up, the kids chose the “loser.”

“These results suggest that humans, from a very early age, not only recognize relative status, they also incorporate it in their decisions about whether to approach or avoid others in a nuanced way,” the report states.

The takeaway? Toddlers may be tiny, but they’re full of insight and quick to pick up on social cues. Yet another reminder for us to set the best example possible for our little ones.

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