Household work and the development of concern for others

In 2 studies, information was collected about the amount of family-care and self-care household work 9- to 14-year-old children performed and whether this work was done on a routine basis or in response to requests from others. Only routine family-care work was positively correlated with concern for others demonstrated in the family, and only in older children. There was no relation between type of household work assignment and prosocial behavior directed to a stranger. Older children were assigned more routine self-care tasks in the 1st study, and older girls more routine family-care work in the 2nd study. Assignment of household work is one of several precursors of prosocial development, but type of household work assigned is critical.