Topic “Prosocial Behaviour Is the Outcome of Multiple… Factors” (Eisenberg & Fabes, 1998, P.742).

Developmental Psychology | PSY 484 - X

2010

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TOPIC: “PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IS THE OUTCOME OF MULTIPLE… FACTORS” (Eisenberg & Fabes, 1998, p.742). | DISCUSS THIS STATEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO: (A) CULTURAL FACTORS (B) SOCIALISATION OF PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOUR WITHIN THE FAMILY (C) THE CHILD’S INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS |

Contents

Introduction 3

Cultural Factors 3

Socialization within and outside the family 4

Demographics 4

Parental Warmth and Quality of Relationship 5

Parental Discipline Practices 5

Parental Emphasis on Prosocial Values 5

Modelling 5

Nondisciplinary Verbalizations 5

Reinforcements for Prosocial Behaviour 6

Provision of Attributions/ Dispositional Praise 6

Learning by Doing 6

Expression of Emotion and Conflict in the home 6

Emotion Socialization and Prosocial Tendencies 7

Other familial and extra-familial influences 7

Individual’s Characteristics 7

Cognitive Abilities 7

Sociability & Social Competence 8

Other Individual Attributes 8

Conclusion 9

Bibliography 10

Introduction

The concepts of prosocial behaviour may be seen to have religious or philosophical roots, and there are various theories regarding the prosocial behavioural tendencies of individuals. Prosocial behaviour is regarded by Reber (1995, p.605), as a “descriptive label for those social behaviours that are cooperative in nature”. However a more in-depth definition that will be used during this paper considers prosocial behaviour to be “actions that benefit another person without any expected reward for the self” (Eisenberg & Fabes, 1998, cited in Berk, 2003, p.407). The influence of Piaget’s & Kohlberg’s moral development theories plays a significant role in the advances in prosocial behavioural theories.

Current research investigates connections between personality, family dynamics, culture, temperament, peer relations and moral development. While many questions have yet to be answered...