Prosocial Behaviour in Children

PYC4805 ASSIGNMENT 02

PYC4805 ASSIGNMENT 02 (691014): PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN CHILDREN

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PYC4805 ASSIGNMENT 02

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION 2. PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOUR: INFLUENTIAL FACTORS 2.1) CULTURTAL FACTORS 2.2) SOCIALISATION OF PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOUR WITHIN THE FAMILY 2.3) THE CHILD’S INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS 3. CONCLUSION 4. REFERENCES 5 6 7 8 3 3 4

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 PYC4805 ASSIGNMENT 02

1.) Introduction

According to Berk (2013, p. 417) prosocial behaviour can be defined as follows: “Actions that benefit another person without any expectation of reward for the self.” Prosocial development in early childhood is of great importance for promoting positive and healthy relationships later on in life (Scrimgeour, Blandon, Stifter & Buss 2013). In can start emerging within the first two years of life and it includes helpfulness, sharing, comforting etc. (Dunfield, Kuhlmeier, O’Connell & Kelley, 2011). In this assignment some of the factors that have an influence on the prosocial behaviour of young children will be discussed. They are as follows: cultural factors, socialisation of prosocial behaviour within the family, and the individual characteristics of children. These are only 3 of many factors that play a role in the development of prosocial behaviour.

2.) Prosocial behaviour: influential factors.

There are a number of theories and perspectives that aim to explain prosocial behaviour. There are philosophical perspectives, psychological theories and empirical literature. These theories and perspectives are all of equal importance in explaining prosocial behaviour. The foundations of philosophical perspectives of prosocial behaviour tend to lie in religion and date back many centuries ago. Philosophers have since debated whether human actions are truly unselfish or whether there are underlying motivations for prosocial behaviour. Thomas Hobbes (cited in Eisenberg & Fabes, 1998) believed that the motivation for prosocial behaviour lay in...