Collaborative Research: Parenting and Sociocognitive Correlates of Prosocial Behaviors in Mexican American and European American Children

University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln NE

Investigators

Abstract

Sharing, comforting, volunteerism, and charitable donations are all considered different forms of prosocial behaviors (i.e., actions intended to benefit others) which are beneficial to society and therefore highly valued and desired. Developmental researchers have provided evidence that there are growth spurts in these behaviors across childhood and adolescence. However, existing models of prosocial development have been guided mostly by theories that emphasize the role of social cognitions and/or emotions on prosocial and moral behaviors. For the most part, the role of culture and ethnicity on prosocial development has been less clear in these theories, even though there is clear evidence of cultural and ethnic differences in prosocial development. Although both social cognitions and emotions are significant correlates of prosocial behaviors, new theories of prosocial development are needed that integrate the role of culture and ethnicity in prosocial development. Unfortunately, the bulk of the research investigating the developmental mechanisms that lead to prosocial development has been conducted with white, mostly middle class, children. Thus, our understanding of the development and predictors of prosocial behaviors in ethnic minority children is quite limited. To begin to address these issues, research is needed on the development of prosocial behaviors in ethnic minority children and adolescents. This project is designed to examine parenting, sociocognitive, and culture-related correlates of prosocial behaviors across childhood and early adolescence in one ethnic minority group (i.e., Mexican Americans). The two-phased systematic research agenda will combine qualitative and quantitative approaches. The overarching goal of the project is to gain an understanding of positive, social behaviors in Mexican American and European American children in the United States. The project is designed primarily (a) to examine ethnic group similarities and differences with respect to prosocial traits and behaviors in Mexican American and European American children and (b) to investigate the parenting, familial, and sociocognitive correlates of prosocial behaviors in Mexican American and European American children. When completed, the research will answer a number of questions that social and developmental psychologists have advanced in recent years. These questions include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) Is normal development of the abilities to understand another's point of view, to feel sorrow or concern for needy others, and to make moral decisions when faced with a context in which there are societially defined right and wrong behaviors associated with high levels of prosocial behaviors in both Mexican- and European-American children? (2) Do both Mexican- and European-American children who exhibit high levels of prosocial behaviors have parents who are warm and supportive and use explanatory and empathy-inducing disciplining practices? (3) Do Mexican American parents, compared to European American parents, emphasize collectivism (i.e., orientation towards greater social group) and familial interdependence, which in turn accounts for ethnic group differences in prosocial behaviors? (4) Do family and parenting processes impact or explain the relations of the abilities to understand another's point of view, to feel sorrow or concern for needy others, and to make moral decisions to prosocial behaviors in Mexican- and European-American children? (5) Do the adaptations that Mexican American children make to the mainstream and ethnic cultures as a result of the processes of acculturation and enculturation impact prosocial development. By addressing these questions, this study is expected to yield important information about variables that might promote prosocial behaviors and produce useful and valuable new measures of prosocial behaviors to use with Mexican American children and adolescents. These products will inform existing theories of prosocial development and will enhance intervention programs aimed at increasing behaviors that benefit others and society.