The Roots of Prosocial Behavior in Children

by Nancy Eisenberg , Paul Henry Mussen

• ISBN13: 9780521337717
• ISBN10: 0521337712
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1989-08-25
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

What kinds of childbearing practices foster the development of helping, sharing, and other prosocial behaviours? What roles do biology and culture play in the development of prosocial behaviour? In this book, Nancy Eisenberg and Paul Mussen review and summarize scholarly research that has been devoted to the development of prosocial behaviour in children, and examine the variety of influences that contribute to children's prosocial development, including the media, parents, peers, biology, culture, personal characteristics, as well as situational determinants. The authors argue that prosocial behaviour can be learned and is modifiable, and they suggest ways that parents, teachers, and other can enhance prosocial development. In addition, the authors attempt to communicate the advances in the study of prosocial development that have taken place over the last decade. The book highlights some questions that have not yet been addressed adequately by researchers, and suggests areas for future work.

Table of Contents

Preface

1. Introduction

2. Methodological and theoretical considerations in the study of prosocial behavior

3. Biology and prosocial behavior

4. Culture and prosocial behavior

5. 'Person' variables and prosocial behavior

6. Socialization in the family

7. Socialization by agents outside the family

8. Cognition, role taking, interpersonal prolem solving, and moral judgment

9. Emotional factors in prosocial behavior

10. Situational determinants

11. Conclusions

References

Name index

Subject index.