Infants’ Social Evaluation of Helpers and Hinderers: A Large‐Scale, Multi‐Lab, Coordinated Replication Study
Authors: Lucca Kelsey , Yuen Francis , Wang Yiyi , Alessandroni Nicolás , Allison Olivia , Alvarez Mario , Axelsson Emma L. , Baumer Janina , Baumgartner Heidi A. , Bertels Julie , Bhavsar Mitali , Byers‐Heinlein Krista , Capelier‐Mourguy Arthur , Chijiiwa Hitomi , Chin Chantelle S.‐S. , Christner Natalie , Cirelli Laura K. , Corbit John , Daum Moritz M. , Doan Tiffany , Dresel Michaela , Exner Anna , Fei Wenxi , Forbes Samuel H. , Franchin Laura , Frank Michael C. , Geraci Alessandra , Giraud Michelle , Gornik Megan E. , Wiesmann Charlotte Grosse , Grossmann Tobias , Hadley Isabelle M. , Havron Naomi , Henderson Annette M. E. , Matzner Emmy Higgs , Immel Bailey A. , Jankiewicz Grzegorz , Jędryczka Wiktoria , Kanakogi Yasuhiro , Kominsky Jonathan F. , Lew‐Williams Casey , Liberman Zoe , Liu Liquan , Liu Yilin , Loeffler Miriam T. , Martin Alia , Mayor Julien , Meng Xianwei , Misiak Michal , Moreau David , Nencheva Mira L. , Oña Linda S. , Otálora Yenny , Paulus Markus , Pepe Bill , Pickron Charisse B. , Powell Lindsey J. , Proft Marina , Quinn Alyssa A. , Rakoczy Hannes , Reschke Peter J. , Roth‐Hanania Ronit , Rothmaler Katrin , Schlegelmilch Karola , Schlingloff‐Nemecz Laura , Schmuckler Mark A. , Schuwerk Tobias , Seehagen Sabine , Şen Hilal H. , Shainy Munna R. , Silvestri Valentina , Soderstrom Melanie , Sommerville Jessica , Song Hyun‐joo , Sorokowski Piotr , Stutz Sandro E. , Su Yanjie , Taborda‐Osorio Hernando , Tan Alvin W. M. , Tatone Denis , Taylor‐Partridge Teresa , Tsang Chiu Kin Adrian , Urbanek Arkadiusz , Uzefovsky Florina , Visser Ingmar , Wertz Annie E. , Williams Madison , Wolsey Kristina , Wong Terry Tin‐Yau , Woodward Amanda M. , Wu Yang , Zeng Zhen , Zimmer Lucie , Hamlin J. Kiley 
Published: November 2024

Evaluating whether someone's behavior is praiseworthy or blameworthy is a fundamental human trait. A seminal study by Hamlin and colleagues in 2007 suggested that the ability to form social evaluations based on third‐party interactions emerges within the first year of life: infants preferred a character who helped, over hindered, another who tried but failed to climb a hill. This sparked a new line of inquiry into the origins of social evaluations; however, replication attempts have yielded mixed results. We present a preregistered, multi‐laboratory, standardized study aimed at replicating infants’ preference for Helpers over Hinderers. We intended to (1) provide a precise estimate of the effect size of infants’ preference for Helpers over Hinderers, and (2) determine the degree to which preferences are based on social information. Using the ManyBabies framework for big team‐based science, we tested 1018 infants (567 included, 5.5–10.5 months) from 37 labs across five continents. Overall, 49.34% of infants preferred Helpers over Hinderers in the social condition, and 55.85% preferred characters who pushed up, versus down, an inanimate object in the nonsocial condition; neither proportion differed from chance or from each other. This study provides evidence against infants’ prosocial preferences in the hill paradigm, suggesting the effect size is weaker, absent, and/or develops later than previously estimated. As the first of its kind, this study serves as a proof‐of‐concept for using active behavioral measures (e.g., manual choice) in large‐scale, multi‐lab projects studying infants.