Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Children's prosocial behavioural intentions towards outgroup members

Abrams, D.; Van de Vyver, J.; Pelletier, J.; Cameron, L.

Children's prosocial behavioural intentions towards outgroup members Thumbnail


Authors

D. Abrams

J. Pelletier

L. Cameron



Abstract

When will children decide to help outgroup peers? We examined how intergroup competition, social perspective taking (SPT), and empathy influence children's (5–10 years, N = 287) prosocial intentions towards outgroup members. Study 1 showed that, in a minimal group situation, prosociality was lower in an intergroup competitive than in a non‐competitive or interpersonal context. Study 2 revealed that, in a real groups situation involving intergroup competition, prosociality was associated with higher empathy and lower competitive motivation. In a subsequent non‐competitive context, there were age differences in the impact of SPT and competitive motivation. With age, relationships strengthened between SPT and prosociality (positively) and between competitiveness and prosociality (negatively). Among older children, there was a carry‐over effect whereby feelings of intergroup competitiveness aroused by the intergroup competitive context suppressed outgroup prosociality in the following non‐competitive context. Theoretical and practical implications for improving children's intergroup relationships are discussed.

Citation

Abrams, D., Van de Vyver, J., Pelletier, J., & Cameron, L. (2015). Children's prosocial behavioural intentions towards outgroup members. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 33(3), 277-294. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjdp.12085

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Feb 10, 2015
Online Publication Date Mar 16, 2015
Publication Date Sep 1, 2015
Deposit Date Sep 6, 2018
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal British Journal of Developmental Psychology
Print ISSN 0261-510X
Electronic ISSN 2044-835X
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 33
Issue 3
Pages 277-294
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/bjdp.12085
Related Public URLs http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/23159/

Files

Accepted Journal Article (654 Kb)
PDF

Copyright Statement
This is the accepted version of the following article: Abrams, D., Van de Vyver, J., Pelletier, J. & Cameron, L. (2015). Children's prosocial behavioural intentions towards outgroup members. British Journal of Developmental Psychology 33(3): 277-294, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/bjdp.12085. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.





You might also like



Downloadable Citations