title: Prosocial tendencies predict friendship quality, but not for popular children.
abstract: Is prosocial behavior a prerequisite for having good-quality friendships? This study (N = 477, mean age = 12.2 years) examined whether the link between children's prosocial tendencies and their perceived friendship quality was dependent on children's level of popularity in the peer group. Children's prosocial tendencies were assessed both as observed behavior in a standardized setting and as a self-reported predisposition to act in prosocial ways. Across measures, the results showed that prosocial tendencies are associated with higher perceived friendship quality among nonpopular children (i.e., children holding average or lower levels of popularity), but not among popular children. Thus, even if they lack prosocial qualities, popular children are still able to hold good-quality friendships. Popular children may have other compensating characteristics, such as popularity by association, that make them attractive for peers to be friends with.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands. a.poorthuis@uu.nl
authors.forename: Astrid M G
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Poorthuis
authors.forename: Sander
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thomaes
authors.forename: Jaap J A
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Denissen
authors.forename: Marcel A G
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: van Aken
authors.forename: Bram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Orobio de Castro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology*; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D012929:Psychological Distance; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012919:Social Behavior