Children's prosocial behavioural intentions towards outgroup members

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

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: Sep 7, 2018
• 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/