Selfishness subsides by the time we reach the age of 33, a study revealed yesterday.
Researchers came to the conclusion after studying the attitudes of 2,000 adults from 20 to 60 and pinpointed that at 33 we lose the 'all about me' attitude and begin to consider others' feelings more frequently.
We are also more likely to make an effort with parents and grandparents and take a positive attitude towards ending old feuds with family or friends.
The report also revealed that the older people got, the more selfless they were in almost all areas of their life with the exception of volunteering in their local community.
This was the only area where people under the age of 33 were likely to be more generous with their time.
The age emerged following a study by Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK, the charity that grants magical wishes to children and young people fighting a life-threatening illness.
Yesterday Emma Cronin from Make-A-Wish said: ‘’It’s never too early to put other people before yourself, and while we’re all strapped for time and leading busier lives, there are always people less fortunate who would jump at the chance of having a helping hand.
‘’We see people from all walks of life sign-up to volunteer – students, parents, people who have recently retired, people who have fulltime jobs, however I think sometimes volunteering has been seen as something that people only have time to do when they get older.
‘’But in the last year we have really seen a significant increase in the number of younger volunteers sign up. This is great for us as we are always looking for people from all walks of life to get involved, and spending a few hours a week helping out a charity is definitely a selfless thing for anyone to do. Our volunteers do some great work and they are a key part of Make-A-Wish. Without them we couldn’t grant as many wishes as we do.”
Most people agreed that having kids was the main turning point in changing their attitudes towards other people.
This was the point at which most said they found themselves worrying more about other people and spending more time doing things for others than themselves.
Once over the age of 33 people were more sensitive to the needs of other people, checking how they were getting home, offering to help with childcare and doing airport runs.
They were more likely to keep an eye out for their neighbours as well help women with pushchairs and give up their seats to elderly people on public transport.
The older you get the more involved you are likely to become in your local community as well with respondents over 33 claiming to be more involved with issues that will have an impact on the area they live like hospital closures and planning issues.
They are more likely to take the time to donate their unwanted clothes and possessions to charity rather than just throw them in the bin and also donate more money to charity and good causes.
In comparison people under 33 were more likely to admit to being very selfish with forty per cent saying that they put themselves first in all circumstances.
But 40 per cent of this age group regularly volunteer for charity or their local community which was higher than any other age group.
The age at which we were most selfish was out teenage years with people saying that just growing up made them more likely to consider others.
Other people cited meeting their partner or buying a house as the point at which they started being more compassionate and putting others first.
Emma Cronin from Make-A-Wish said: “I think younger people see that the experience they get from volunteering with a charity is not only rewarding on a personal level but can also help when looking to boost your CV, in fact, schools are really good at encouraging pupils to engage with their communities. With a lot of people struggling to find work at the moment volunteering is a great activity to get involved in. It’s fundamental to the success of so many charities, only takes a few hours a week and can give you some real skills and experience that potential employers will look for.”
