HSINCHU, Taiwan, Oct. 01, 2025 — When aggressive tendencies in mice are suppressed, they begin to display prosocial behaviors, such as mutual grooming. A cross-species investigation carried out at Taiwan’s National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) observed a comparable pattern in young children. This suggests that after developing self-control, children tend to engage in more positive interactions and altruistic acts, which can yield lasting advantages for their future interpersonal relationships and mental well-being.
The consolidation of NTHU and National Hsinchu University of Education has fostered an increase in interdisciplinary research across fields like education, the arts, and biomedicine. This includes the notable cross-species study on young children and mice, spearheaded by a team led by Distinguished Professor Yu-Ju Chou (周育如) from the Department of Early Childhood Education and Associate Professor Tsung-Han Kuo (郭崇涵) from the Department of Life Sciences. Their research findings were recently published in the international journal Behavioral and Brain Functions.
Kuo noted that animals demonstrate a broad spectrum of social behaviors, encompassing aggression and dominance contests, as well as prosocial interactions that contribute to social harmony. Employing a resident-intruder assay, the study determined that male resident mice housed in isolation for a week exhibited aggression towards other mice introduced into their enclosure. However, when the brain regions responsible for aggression were lesioned, their aggressive behavior ceased and was superseded by allogrooming.
“This appears to indicate that mice are inherently kind!” Kuo remarked, adding that while aggressive behavior plays an evolutionary role in survival, the instinct for kindness and altruism has not vanished; it is merely latent.
Chou, an expert in early childhood education, conducted a corresponding one-year study assessing the self-control capabilities of over 100 children aged 4 to 6. The results indicated that children with superior self-control were less impulsive and aggressive, while being more inclined to share, care, help, and cooperate—observations consistent with the findings from the mouse experiment.
Chou elaborated that before acquiring self-control, young children often act on impulse—for example, immediately grabbing a toy they see or hitting back when struck by a playmate. As self-control develops, children learn to raise their hands before speaking, take turns with toys, and resolve conflicts without overreacting.
“Self-control is a learned skill and is more crucial than academic knowledge,” Chou emphasized, stating that beyond teaching children not to hit or bully others, it is equally vital to encourage kindness and cultivate their emotional quotient (EQ). Young children who develop self-control and positive social skills are more likely to mature into mentally healthy adults.
Chou is currently undertaking a new experiment focused on enhancing children’s self-control. By incorporating music, dance, and rhythm, she has shown that it is possible to significantly improve children’s self-control. Furthermore, the participants exhibited enhanced concentration, became less prone to temper tantrums, and were more inclined to wait patiently in line. They also demonstrated a greater willingness to help one another and collaborate during play.
Chou affirmed that both humans and animals possess innate altruistic motivations, and strengthening self-control not only curtails aggressive impulses but also fosters increased altruistic behavior and more positive interactions. In addition to deepening our understanding of animal social behavior, this cross-species study offers valuable new insights for preschool education.
Contact:
Yi-Yeh Chen
NTHU
(886)3-5162006
yiyeh@mx.nthu.edu.tw
Distinguished Professor Yu-Ju Chou of NTHU’s Department of Early Childhood Education (first from the left) and Associate Professor Tsung-Han Kuo of the Department of Life Sciences (second from the left) guiding children to cooperate in games. (Photo: National Tsing Hua University)
