PSY 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Prosocial Behavior, Psy, Heredity
Document Summary
Altruism: prosocial beh that helps another with no expectation of direct benefit to helper. During the toddler/ preschool years, children begin to understand others" needs and learn more appropriate altruistic responses. Intent to act prosocially increases with age, as do children"s strategies for helping. Perspective taking: older children can leave egocentrism and can take the perspective of others. Empathy: the ability to experience another person"s emotions. Moral reasoning: reward and punishment influence young children"s moral reasoning and characterizes adolescents" and adults" moral decision making. Children and adolescents who help others tend to be better able to take another"s view, feel another"s emotions, and to act on the basis of principles rather than rewards/punishments/ norms. Feeling of responsibility: children act altruistically when they feel responsible to the persons need. Feelings of competence: children act altruistically when they feel that they have the skills necessary to help the person in need. Mood: act altruistically when they re happy.
