Prosocial behaviour and moral reasoning Flashcards
define prosocial behaviour
Voluntary behaviour intended to benefit another
what is altruistic behaviour
Motivated purely by desire to help another, at cost to oneself
how does prosocial behaviour differ from altruistic
Pattern of behaviour, regardless of motivation (potential benefit/associated costs to the donor)
what are the evolutionary roots of prosocial behaviour
Increase survival of kin
more likely to assist genetically related individuals
enhance acceptance from a group
evidence of prosociality as innate
Spontaneous prosocial behaviour in children from relatively early age
Some evidence from twin studies of genetic contribution to prosocial tendencies
evidence of prosociality as learnt
Early attachment to parents
Parental/ adult responses to behaviour important
when does prosocial behaviour emerge
Around first birthday, helping behaviour emerges
Rapidly increases in toddler/preschooler period, and then slowly thereafter into early adulthood
how does prosocial behaviour occur
Shift to act according to moral principles, rather than for selfish motivations or to gain approval
how have experiments shown to reinforce social behaviour
Explicit scaffolding (encouragement and praise) increases prosocial behaviour in infants (ex: Dahl et al., 2017)
how have experimental studies shown modelling prosocial behaviour
Observing helpful behaviour increases prosocial behaviour in infants
More likely to copy skilled, warm, and familiar models
what is the issue with measuring prosociality in experiments
artificial environments
unfamiliar experimenters
what is an observational study
Observe spontaneous, naturally occurring behaviour (directly or through reports
procedure of Harmond and Bromwell
Parents asked to report on helping behaviour and motivations in 1-4-year-olds
Harmond and Bromwell findings
helping increased with age
how did Warmeken and Tomasello assess spontaneous helping
24 18-month-olds
Experimental condition: looked at object and child, verbalized problem
Control: neutral face toward object
findings of Warneken and Tomasello
Children more likely to help in experimental condition for most tasks Immediately in most cases
when might helping be restricted
ability to interpret goals or needs
how do parenting styles influence prosocial development
secure attachment = higher empathy
Parents who are empathic, respond sensitively, encourage empathy
what other factors influence prosocial development
Perspective-taking ability
Ability to regulate emotions
how may culture influence prosocial behaviour
Values placed on cooperation vs. competition, individualism vs. support
what is moral reasoning
How we reason or judge whether an action is right or wrong
what were Piaget’s three stages of moral reasoning
premoral
moral realism
moral subjectivism
what age is the premoral stage
up to 4 years
what is the premoral stage
rules not understood
what age is the moral realism stage
4-10 years
what is is the moral realism stage
rules come from higher authority, cannot be changed
what age is the moral subjectivism stage
10+
what is the moral subjectivism stage
rules mutually agreed by players, can change
what is Piaget’s dilemma method
asked “which child is the naughtiest”
findings of dilemma method
Up to 9/10 years, children judge based on amount of damage, not motive or intention
problems with the dilemma design
Unequal damage distracts children
“bad intentions” are vague
What did Kohlberg do
expand on Piaget’s concepts across the lifespan, not just childhood
Kohlberg’s levels of moral reasoning
Preconventional
Conventional
Postconventional
what is preconventional morality
Reason in relation to self, little understanding of shared rules
Seek pleasure, avoid punishment
what people experience preconventional morality
Children under 9, some adolescents, adult “criminal offenders”
stage 1 of preconventional morality
Concerned with authority, obey rules to avoid punishment
stage 2 of preconventional morality
Weigh the risks and benefits
action determined by one’s needs
what is conventional morality
Importance of rules, expectations, conventions of society
who experiences conventional morality
most adolescents and adults
stage 3 conventional morality
focus on interpersonal relationships
Being good = having good motives
stage 4 conventional morality
Performing one’s duty to maintain social order
what is postconventional morality
Understanding of moral principles underlying laws
what is stage 5 post conventional morality
importance of functioning society AND individual rights
what is stage 6 postconventional morality
Following universal ethical principles
even when law violates the principle
when does postconventional morality occur
not until 20, and not for everyone
criticisms of Kohlberg
Dilemmas criticized for being too artificial
cultural bias - favours individualism
gender bias - ppts male
