There are some people who do charity work to create a reputation. Apparently, this kind of cognitive processing is already exhibited by children as young as five years old who seem to be more generous when others are aware of their actions.

ScienceDaily.com recently posted a study by Kristin Lyn Leimgruber and her colleagues from Yale University, which examined the behavior of a group of five-year-olds when given stickers, one of which was to be given away to another child.

The researchers observed that the children were more generous when they can see the recipient, than when they're hidden from view. They were also more open to the idea of sharing when the items were placed in a transparent box than in an opaque box--so that the recipient may see exactly what is being given to them.

It's important to teach your children, even at a young age, that generosity doesn't need to have an audience. At such an early age, instilling the value of giving without receiving anything in return will help him grow into a better and more positive individual.

(Screencap from Modern Family courtesy of ABC)