module 12 Flashcards
What are the different forms of prosocial behaviour?
prosocial behaviours: voluntary behaviour intended to benefit another
- cooperation:
- directed towards helping another
- involves risk/sacrifice to actor
- voluntary
- altruistic:
- empathy: emotional response to another’s emotional state/condition that is similar to that person’s state
- sympathy: feeling of concern for another in response to other’s emotional state/condition
What is Eisenberg’s theory of prosocial behaviour?
- children asked to choose b/w helping others & meeting own needs
- prosocial moral dilemmas used to determine prosocial behaviour
- identified 5 stages of prosocial moral reasoning similar to Kolhberg’s stages
What is level 1 in Eisenberg’s theory?
hedonistic, self-focused orientation:
- concerned w/ own interest:
- motivated by selfishness/simply b/c life person they are helping
- egocentric
- preschool-age
What is level 2 in Eisenberg’s theory?
needs-based orientation:
- concerned w/ others’ needs even when conflict w/ own needs:
- needs of others recognised but only to limited extent
- needs of specific situation addressed rather than genuine sense of empathy
- offer simple explanations for positive behaviours w/o referring to guilt/self-reflection
- some preschool & elementary school
What is level 3 in Eisenberg’s theory?
approval and/or stereotyped orientation:
- decision to help based on ideas of “good” & “bad”
- acts in ways that will make them liked by others
- when asked to explain behaviour, child tends to use stereotypes portrayals of good & bad behaviour
- different from level 2 b/c of explanation provided
- elementary school
What is level 4a in Eisenberg’s theory?
self-reflective empathic orientation:
- sympathetic responsiveness/role-taking; concern for others’ humanness
- start to show genuine empathy by putting themselves in others’ shoes & begin to report feelings of genuine guilt when considering own actions
- reflect on how that person feels – more in depth explanation, which differs from level 3
- older elementary school & high school
What is level 4b in Eisenberg’s theory?
transitional level:
- internalise values, norms, responsibility, concern for larger society
- actions now explained in terms of wider social values and need to protect dignity & self-esteem of others
What is level 5 in Eisenberg’s theory?
strongly internalised stage:
- everything based on values, norms & responsibility; desire to maintain obligations & improve society; belief in dignity of all individuals
- have full set of values & understand responsibilities towards others
- have self-respect only maintained by behaving w/ duty of care towards others
- have desires to live up to own set of principles
How does Eisenberg explain individual differences in prosocial behaviour? (emotion)
emotion regulation:
- all children capable of prosocial behaviour, but can vary in frequency in engage in behaviours
- prosocial behaviour & aggression part of larger network of behaviour
- importance of learning how to regulate emotions
How does Eisenberg explain individual differences in prosocial behaviour? (genetic)
genetic factors:
- contribute to differences in propensity to engage in prosocial behaviours
- greater similarity in these behaviours b/w identical than fraternal twins
- genetic effects on prosocial behaviour may be influenced by differences in temperament
What is Piaget’s theory of moral judgment?
moral reasoning changes from rigid acceptance of dictates & rules of authorities to appreciation that moral rules are product of social interaction & hence modifiable
- methods:
- observing children’s games
- conduct open-ended interviews w/ children and present stories involving children’s behaviour & asked to make judgments as to which child was naughtier
- 3 stages
What is the 1st stage in Piaget’s theory?
morality of constraint:
- characterises moral reasoning of children who have not yet reached cognitive stage of concrete operations - see rules & duties as unchangeable “givens” established by adult - what determines whether action is good/bad is consequence of action, not motive behind it
What is the 2nd stage in Piaget’s theory?
transitional period:
- from ~ age7/8 to 10 - b/c of increased peer interaction, learn that rules can be constructed by group - increasingly learn to take one another’s perspective, thereby becoming more autonomous in thinking abt moral issues
What is the 3rd stage in Piaget’s theory?
autonomous morality:
- by age 11/12, moral relativism emerges, w/ all typically developing children reaching this stage - understand rules can be changed if group agrees to do so - consider fairness & equality among ppl as important factors in constructing rules - consider individuals’ motivates when evaluation crimes
What are some challenges to Piaget’s view of prosocial behaviour?
- little evidence that peer interaction automatically stimulates moral dvpm
- rather, seems likely that quality of peer interactions is more important than quantity
- underestimated young children’s ability to appreciate role of intentionality in morality
- many 4- & 5-yr olds do not think that person caused negative outcome “on purpose” if were explicitly told person had no foreknowledge of consequences of action or believe that outcome of action would be positive rather than negative
- even younger children seem to use knowledge of intentionality to evaluate others’ behaviour
