Final answer:
Children can learn nurturing behaviors from siblings, particularly when older siblings take on a parental role or when siblings act as prosocial models for each other. However, witnessing and experiencing abusive behaviors can result in antisocial behaviors being mirrored, which can have lasting negative effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
To what extent can children learn the act of nurturing from siblings? Children can learn a significant amount about nurturing from their siblings, especially in scenarios where they play more of a parental role, a process referred to as being 'parentified'. This often happens during events like divorce or when children are sent into foster care, where the presence of siblings can provide a sense of continuity and mutual support. An example of informal education is when older siblings show younger ones how to engage in everyday tasks such as serving food.
Siblings also serve as models for learning through both prosocial and antisocial behaviors. They can be strong prosocial models, teaching each other socially acceptable behaviors, effective communication, and life skills. However, if a child witnesses and experiences abusive behaviors from within the family, this can lead to a cycle where these antisocial behaviors are mirrored and potentially carried into future relationships and parenting styles, as indicated by various studies.
Overall, the nurturing role of siblings is complex and steeped in both the potential for positive role modeling and the challenge of navigating parental responsibilities at a young age, which can sometimes lead to trauma and lifelong complications in areas such as relationships and self-care.