Developmental differences in prosocial motives and behavior in children from low-socioeconomic status families.
Developmental theories of prosocial reasoning and behavior posit a transition from concrete (e.g., give a toy to receive one) to abstract (e.g., spend time to make someone happy) forms and have been supported with research on middle-socioeconomic status (SES), White samples. The methodology that researchers have used to date has restricted the responses that children can offer. In the present study, 122 Grade 2 and Grade 4 children from low-SES families described different types of motives and behavior and whether a conflict existed between self- and other-serving behaviors. The authors found developmental differences for both abstract and tangible motives that focused on the benefactor of prosocial behavior. Grade 2 girls and Grade 4 boys were the most likely to spontaneously describe a conflict between self- and other-serving behaviors.
McGrath
Marianne P
MP
Department of Psychology, University of Michigan-Flint, 303 East Kearsley, Flint, MI 48502-1950, USA. mmcgrath@umflint.edu
Brown
Bethany C
BC
D000533:Altruism; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002657:Child Development; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007406:Interview, Psychological / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D012107:Research Design / Q000639:trends; D012737:Sex Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012919:Social Behavior; D012923:Social Class; D012963:Sociometric Techniques; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires