Let us often commit acts of goodwill towards people around us. A new study shows that children who are kinder are also happier and more popular. This fact suggests that simple and small acts of kindness can reduce bullying from classmates, the researchers say.
The first item on the wish list of all parents is that their children be good, happy, and beloved. Previous studies have shown that these goals can be not only compatible, but also complement each other. The connection between happiness and prosocial behavior (that is, in the interests of someone) seems to be reciprocal: happy people do good to others, and prosocial behavior in turn makes them even more prosperous.
Based on previous research, Canadian scientists conducted what they call the first long-term experiment - a study of the role of kindness in early adolescence. The study participants were more than 400 primary school students aged 9-12 years, who were divided into two groups.
Students in one group were encouraged to commit acts of kindness. Basically, the children themselves had to decide what a good deed is.
All children had to report how happy they were and to name classmates with whom they would like to work in school activities. Four weeks later, all the children said that they were happy, but the children who did good deeds enjoyed great recognition from their peers, since it was the other children who wanted to work with them.
Harassment among adolescents becomes an urgent problem in grades 4-5. But if you ask children to regularly do small good deeds in relation to others, scientists hope that it is possible to reduce cases of bullying and ridicule in this age group.
