Prosocial Development: A Multidimensional Approach - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0190499060 ISBN 13: 9780190499068

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2016

Synopsis

Prosocial behavior--broadly defined as voluntary action intended to help or benefit another--has been associated with positive outcomes across the lifespan. Children with a more prosocial orientation are better liked and trusted by their peers, have a higher status in peer groups, are better at maintaining friendships, demonstrate better self regulation, empathy, and social cognitive skills, and excel in academics. Researchers have shown that prosocial behaviors correlate to lower rates of school suspension and drop-out, teen pregnancy, substance use, aggression, and delinquency. These positive effects speak to the value of prosocial behavior during formative years.

Prosocial Development examines a variety of biological, socialization, and contextual influences on prosocial development from infancy through early adulthood. While the definition of prosocial behavior may seem straightforward, recent research has highlighted its multifaceted nature. This volume specifically focuses on the multidimensionality of prosocial development, examining different contexts, motivations, types, and targets of prosocial behavior that are differentially predicted by socialization and dispositional characteristics. Skillfully edited by Drs. Padilla-Walker and Carlo, each chapter in this volume highlights some aspect of multidimensionality in regard to prosocial behavior and meaningful avenues for future research. This volume will be an important tool for scholars, researchers, and practitioners who are interested in prosocial, moral, and positive youth development. The organization and focus of this volume are also well-suited for use as a text for graduate courses in moral development, child and adolescent development, social psychology, sociology, anthropology, and family studies.

About this title

About the Author

Laura Padilla-Walker is an Associate Professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University. Her research focuses on the parent-child relationship as it relates to prosocial and moral development during adolescence and emerging adulthood. Dr. Padilla-Walker has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.

Gustavo Carlo is the Millsap Professor of Diversity and Multicultural Studies in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Missouri. His primary interests are the parenting, personality, and sociocultural correlates of prosocial and moral behaviors. Dr. Carlo has published well over 100 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, and has co-edited several volumes.

Review

"This important and comprehensive volume is a 'must read' for anyone interested in learning about the emergence and development of prosocial behavior. The chapters in this book, written by leading scholars in the field, highlight recent advances across a range of disciplines in understanding prosocial behavior as a multidimensional construct. This book will be a valuable resource for graduate students and professionals interested in better understanding prosociality, which is an essential aspect of human flourishing." -Judi Smetana, PhD, Department of Clinical & Social Sciences in Psychology, University of Rochester

"This edited volume is a major achievement that will have a galvanizing effect on the next frontier of research on prosocial development. It features cutting edge, integrative research by the leading scholars in developmental science, and will be required reading for some time to come." -Daniel Lapsley, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame

"Our success and survival as a species rests on our ability to act on behalf of others. This comprehensive volume on the complexities of these positive human potentials is both scholarly and accessible to a wide audience. It paves the way for developing a richer, more nuanced understanding of why and how we care for others, as well as for fostering these qualities for the sake of future generations."-Carolyn Zahn-Waxler, PhD, Research Scientist, Center for Investigating Health Minds at the Waisman Center, and Center for Child and Family Well-being, University of Wisconsin-Madison

"Organizing research on the development of prosocial behavior can be a daunting task because, as Padilla-Walker and Carlo note, different forms of prosocial action are frequently treated as though they had the same underlying characteristics. This edited book is a tremendously valuable resource, bringing together experts in the field whose chapters provide a comprehensive overview of the development of prosocial behavior as well as the opportunity to understand some of the complexities of its multidimensional nature." -Joan Grusec, PhD, Professor Emerita of Psychology, University of Toronto

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0190499060
• ISBN 13: 9780190499068
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 496
• Editor: Padilla-Walker Laura M., Carlo Gustavo