Arthur Dobrin, DSW, reviews the research of Yale professor Karen Wyn, who concludes that morality begins in infancy. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...-infants-moral

The review is short. I include it here since Dobrin asserts:

Wyn's research by itself is suggestive but doesn't prove much. It is, though, part of a growing body of research that makes the same point. Infants offer help, comfort those in distress and prefer those who do the same.

These tendencies, however, can be overridden by parenting that doesn't build on these propensities; the same can be said of peers who can override these instincts and larger culturally messages that convey very different values.

Being aware of tendencies gives parents the opportunity to choose between reenforcing or undermining them.