prosocial behaviour

Question 1

what is prosocial behaviour

Answer 1

voluntary behaviour intended to benefit another

Question 2

what is alturism

Answer 2

prosocial behaviour that is performed for unselfish motives

Question 3

what have Eisenberg and Fabes suggested about childrens prosocial development

Answer 3

that it increases with age

Question 4

what have Warneken and Tomasello (2009) suggested about alturism in infants

Answer 4

it is not uncommon

Question 5

What did Zahn- Waxler find about childrens COMFORTING behaviours over the second year of life

Answer 5

increases

Question 6

what did Warneken & Tomasello (2006) find about childrens helping behaviour

Answer 6

18 month olds help in simple tasks
chimps also do

= biologically prepared

Question 7

sharing
communication = sharing info
what did
Liszkowski et al., 2008 find

Answer 7

at 12 months if an infant sees an adult searching for something they will point to tell them where it is

Question 8

sharing

Moore 2009

Answer 8

drew pics of a classmate they liked, one they didnt like, an unknown child

• the extent to which they share depends on who they are sharing with and what it costs them
• children were more likely to share with a friend and if theres no cost to self when sharing with a stranger

(childrens sharing reflects their assessment of their recipient and cost to themselves)

Question 9

Warneken and Tomasello (2009) pointed out that even though children do not share all the time…

Answer 9

in comparison to other species it is much higher

Question 10

what is inequity aversion- task

Blake

Answer 10

sweets and for each child there is a bowl. child on left has two levers.
advantageous - it would benefit them to accept
disadvantageous it would disadvantage them to accept.

Disadvantageous (you have the lever and fewer sweets) with age children become more and more likely to reject the deal

advantageous inequity aversion was more variable- emerging in 3 (canada, usa and uganda) populations later in development.

Question 11

factors which could influence prosocial behaviour

Answer 11

• biological factors

- socialization in the family and at school

Question 12

biological

Zahn- Waxler et al (1992)

Answer 12

twin study.
94 MZ twins and 90 DZ twins
reactions to adults distress.

hereditability play some role.

Question 13

what do Eisenberg and Fabes (1998) suggest about biological factors

Answer 13

childrens temperaments determine how prosocial they are.
if they arent completely overwhelmed
and too inhibiited, then they are more likelt to feel sympathy and help

Question 14

socialization factor

family - how parents promote prosocial behaviour

Answer 14

1. secure attatchment
2. modelling empathy, sensitivity and prosocial behaviours
3. arranging opportunities to engage in prosocial behaviours - caring for family
4. discuss emotions and how behaviours affect others
5. constructive and supportive discipline

Question 15

how does discipline help a child engage in prosocial behaviour

Answer 15

Reasoning- pointing out the consequences - more effective if warm and supportive.

inductive parenting- effective when toddlers with emotional tone- drawing childs attention to consequences.

physical punishment, threats and authoritarian parenting and the use of material rewards are associated with a lack of sympathy and prosocial behaviours.

Question 16

Warneken and Tomasello (2008) do rewards undermine alturism ?

Answer 16

study where child helps someone, adult responds by:
1. give material reward
2. praise them
3. respond neutrally
2nd phase children were again given oportunity to help but given no reward

children in neutral and praise condition were more likley to help in second phase.
early helping behaviours are intrinsicly motivated not because they want stuff.

Question 17

Fabes et al (2002) prosocial behaviour in school;

Answer 17

preschoolers exposed to prosocial peers at the start of the year were more prosocial by the end

Question 18

prosocial behaviour in school

Answer 18

children play with others who are similarly prosocial = reinforcement

Question 19

prosocial behaviour in school (apicella) hunter gatherers

Answer 19

people tended to live in social networks where the other poeple are about as prosocial as them

Question 20

prosocial behaviour in school

Smith, Cowie and Blades : peer support system

Answer 20

responsible trained pupil supports another child who is new, learning difficulties, has other needs- helps the child to enagge in more prosocial behaviours

Question 21

cultural influences
Whiting and Whiting (1975)
observed children 3-11 in 6 countries

Answer 21

Found that cultures where mothers delegated household chores to younger children encourage more prosocial behaviour
whereas those that value individual success = more competitiveness.

Question 22

What is the challenge of alturism

Answer 22

Natural selection tells us that species evolve because of genetic mutations give rise to different traits,
if only mutations aid survival how could a mutation which costs the individual propogate

Question 23

what is kin selection

Answer 23

we help others who share genetic material with

BUT doesnt explain why we help strangers

Question 24

what is reciprocity

Answer 24

around age 3 children start to become more discerning about who should benefit from their kindness

Question 25

what did Olson and Spelke (2008) find about who children prefer to share with

Answer 25

• family and firends
• people who have shared with them
• people who share with others (indirect recprocity)
  sensitivity to reciprocity

Question 26

what is group selection

Answer 26

alturistic behaviours spread bevause it benefits humans as a whole

• difficult to explain how this would actually work

Question 27

what is gene selection

Answer 27

the self is interesting- selfish.

Question 28

at what age do children start to engage in prosocial behaviours

Answer 28

• 18 months

Question 29

communication - sharing information is observed at what age

Answer 29

12 months

Question 30

what biological and enviromental factors influence behaviour

Answer 30

parental discipline, peer interactions, culture, genes,

Question 31

at what age do children show concern about reciprocity in sharing contextx

Answer 31

by age 3