Babies can spot the good, the bad and the ugly

[evilblades]

"babies seems to prefer helpful individuals" *facepalm*

[eddykayo]

So did they switch the roles and colors of the square and triangle? Maybe yellow and triangle just looks better to babies........

[scientyREAL]

agreed

this is a more appropriate conclusion

[ChrisCrockerTime]

That being said, this does seem like a limited test and could use more research to verify

[ChrisCrockerTime]

A lot of this is just built into us - it's not really smart, it's just basic instinct and Darwinism. We favor helpful humans, good looks, friendliness. A baby is not so dumb that they can't recognize niceness vs. being a dick. Obviously that shape pushing the other down the hill is a jerk.

[tardesnegras]

he was such a jerk

[Linyou]

yeah this test is totally stupid. if u were to show me the shapes moving ard without telling me the story...i will not know what is happening...maybe physic lessons? Many other factors could have influence this, for e.g. the shape, the colour. If they want to do a better experiment, at least control these few factors

[lopezhousehold]

Kids are smart, especially when they soak everything up like a sponge, my nine month old knows what a negative reaction is, he can tell by the look on my face that he is doing something he shouldn't be, it doesn't keep him from doing it, heck it encourages him to do so even more! So does this mean my kid is a bad egg? People try to crack the minds of babies (not literally) all the time, leave them alone, and let them be babies!

[Vortigon]

Babies don't know that going up the hill is either a good or a bad thing and therefore cannot conclude that moving in a certain direction is a good or bad thing or that preventing the progress up the hill is a negative action.

When they see a shape being helped up the hill they have no understanding of what they are seeing. They have no basis to judge that the second shape is helping.

Terrible research obviously conducted by morons for some unknown agenda. (religous?)

[bnz500]

the first block was trying to go up the hill and the second helped it... the third block forced it into the opposite direction. moron...

[playaspec]

Spoken like an ignoramus who doesn't have children of his own.

[o0abdo0o]

Proof that a person is not born a criminal or bad. Natural instinct is good morals, just external influences and bad choices after maturity make a person bad.

[raininagen5]

But that's not proof, it just means that those baby's they chose are not born criminals or bad.

[raininagen5]

Amazing that they do research on stuff that's common sense. What a waste of resources.

[foxdragoon84]

It was common sense just a century ago that the human race was created exactly as it is today by an intelligent being. We know now that is not the case.  The point of experiments is not just to reach conclusions but to prove them. Common sense, although important, holds no weight against hard proof.

[raininagen5]

Oh dear, a scientist type.

[foxdragoon84]

Oh dear, an anti-science type.

[foxdragoon84]

No, I'm not really a "science type." I just think you fail to appreciate what these researchers are trying to do, to say the least.

[shevvee]

You're right there, I really don't.

[gaarafan1997]

Terribly faulty "research", but cute babies.

[rubyschnauzer]

Well why is it faulty "research"? They are babies. Their brains are not as devoloped as they will be when tthe get older.

[Salladsdressing]

Yeah! Morals are natural! I know! =)

[AbedeuS]

"12 babies", brilliant data set. Nearnly as good as the "4 dead people" used to "prove" that we lose whateverthatcrappymoviesnamewa­s when we die ^^

but an enlightening idea nontheless

[cuqui1]

ahh so smart :)

[metalkat77]

??????????????????????????????­? :/

[whirlpoolzend]

Did they take into account colour & shape preferences, nappy dampness and wind direction?

[djphatd]

This is interesting but not scientific!

[Semimaru]

it's Yale, what do you expect?

[fulcrum2004]

loooooool

[AmericaOwnz]

the baby randomly slapped on a block or was stretching and the researchers took that as some reasoned choice.

Its like a Christian seeing someone having a seizure and calling it demon-possession.

[whirlpoolzend]

Ha! Nice one!

[AmericaOwnz]

Thank ya

[hamdijapo]

omg they just pick closer one lol

[sabrinavsginc]

so cute..

[KiltedRic]

Maybe babies just like triangles more, lol!!

[nourozi]

lol nice way of looking at it

[futbolvg]

thats way babies always prefer their mother over the father

[nourozi]

lol true

[teemuruskeepaa]

This is a proof of the good human nature. It is not selfish but seeks cooperation. It does not seek to hurt others but support them.

[themelonbread]

If by "the good human nature" you mean an innate instinct to value cooperation and cooperative individuals in a group which helped our ancestors survive harsh conditions, then yes, this video is proof of the good human nature.

[teemuruskeepaa]

Constructive is good. It is also rational. Competition is taught.

[ferrariModenas]

babies are also choose whom to play with according to race factor, I watched it on Discovery channel, I guess we all have a racist gene built in but we won't accept it cause it is politically incorrect.

[ares213]

Ah ha! No wonder why babies like me.

[buttguy]

you must be a yellow triangle?

[ares213]

lol, touche

[ndasilenced]

Simple yet powerful research!

[comodocomodos]

Karen Wynn is it.

[kysoek]

ugh.... babys scare me sometimes with their many super powers...

[joezzq]

Its amazing how much is hardwired into the Human brain

[KSS5]

I love babies....

[BrianShaneRushton]

Cutest guinea pigs ever.

[DickGhostmoon]

I wonder what the results would be if tested on adults?

[BornAtNight]

The yellow block looks like pizza.

[ScottishAtheist]

What if the babies just liked the colour yellow and the shape of the triangle over blue and square?

[andopolis]

I'm sure that colour and shape were randomised in different groups to eliminate such an obvious confounding variable.

[newscientistvideo]

andopolis is correct, the objects were randomised in this way to eliminate this confound.

Michael Marshall, online editorial assistant

[ScottishAtheist]

Ok thanks for clearing that up. I suppose it's kind of obvious.

Anyway that's really cool!

[YouWillSubmit]

what if you threaten the baby into picking the blue square? would it find you very helpful

[YouWillSubmit]

Makes you think, does'nt it?

[YouWillSubmit]

You know, like Goodfellas handle things.

Yo Joey, ya know yous wanna pick the bloo brick, cuz if ya dont, den yous gotta go for a boat ride.

FaGedaBoudit

[panickingjuggler]

hey look, science that's actually understandable! more please