Does a Mixed-age Setting Reduce Competition and Increase Cooperation Among Children?

This study is the first to test the evolutionary hypothesis that mixed-age settings increase cooperation and reduce competition among peers. Triads of 30 preschoolers (ages 4-6) and 10 third to six graders (ages 8-13) were observed when they were involved in a game playing situation that involved limited resources, where 20 pairs of preschoolers were tested twice: once in a same-age group and once in a mixed-age group. Children in mixed-age groups were more cooperative than children in same-age groups and these cooperative behaviors were more frequently initiated by older children. Whereas children in same-age groups spent more time interfering and being unoccupied, children in the mixed-age groups spent more time playing the game, were more equitable and better organized and had more smooth turn-taking behaviors than same-age groups. These findings demonstrate the potential benefits of mixed-age interaction that are deeply rooted in our evolutionary heritage