A total of 61 Belgian boys and girls who were 5 and 7 years old participated in an experiment which aimed at enhancing their giving and helping behavior. Treatment basically involved the induction of empathy. Children in the experimental group were told stories by their teacher in which the hero meets secondary characters who are in need and acts…

The relationship between altruistic behavior and popularity found in young children becomes much less defined with older children. In a paired-comparison procedure, 144 children from two elementary schools ranked the relative attractiveness as a potential friend of four fictional children described as altruistic, prosocial-aggressive, good at…

This paper describes a social studies unit which addresses the problem of cultural dissonance in black, inner city kindergarten children who enter school without adequate classroom social interaction skills. In order to avoid using extensive academic time to orient children toward cooperative behavior and discipline procedures throughout the…

This study compares the effectiveness of four experimental training programs designed to foster altruism in kindergarten children. Subjects were 97 children 4-5 years of age in six preschool classes. The children were assigned as a class to one of the six training and control conditions. The four training conditions were: (1) role playing; (2)…

As sex-role equality becomes more acceptable in heterosexual relationships, it is important to examine traditional assumptions about "appropriate" masculine and feminine behaviors. Subjects (N=203) reacted to descriptions of initiations of heterosexual relationships in which the sequence of two initiations (starting a conversation and issuing a…

Some studies have suggested that TV encourages a variety of problems such as malnutrition, drug consumption, poor consumer habits, and violence. Others have argued that TV is a window to the world, promoting knowledge, cultural experiences and positive social values. This article examines some of these controversial claims and evaluates the impact…

An action research project, Education for Dignity and Rapid Achievement (EDRA), produces exceptional growth in student learning and behavior. EDRA emphasizes student growth in academics, self concept, and courtesy. Attitudes shared by the sixteen participating teachers included the importance of teaching and learning, the teacher as a role model,…

This paper reviews research findings that are related to fostering prosocial behavior in the early childhood and elementary classroom. A collection of "experimental best bets" for increasing prosocial behavior in young children is outlined. This collection covers the role of reinforcement and modeling or imitation, the importance of group norms,…

The psychoanalytic theory of identification and the cognitive-developmental and social-learning theories of imitation are briefly described. Pertinent empirical research in the following areas is summarized and critically evaluated: imitation in infants, observational learning, clinical use of modeling, and the relation of imitation to aggression,…

This study investigates the relationship between children's ideas about how to be helpful to peers and peer acceptance. Third- and fifth-grade children responded to three sociometric measures and were later individually interviewed under four conditions on two occasions in response to different cartoon situations. Children were asked to suggest…

The study assessed the effect of two stylistic features of a prosocial television program, visual focusing and verbal labeling, on learning and behavior. Forty male and 40 female preschool children viewed one of five versions of a children's quiz show. Camera zooms and verbal labels alone and in combination emphasized sharing in four prosocial…

This study measured the effects on children's behavior of peer influence and prosocial and antisocial television messages. The subjects, 120 children in second, third, and fourth grades, were placed in three different situations: one in which no television was viewed, one in which an excerpt from a television program portraying violence was…

This paper describes three interrelated studies which investigated the cognitions, feelings, and motives involved in the emergence and progression of prosocial behaviors. The first study examined the child's emerging sensitivities to the affective events in his environment through data collected over a 9-month period from groups of 10-, 15-, and…

The article describes three goal structures (competitive, cooperative, and individualistic) that provide the context in which social skills are learned. Major components of structured learning are next presented as a strategy for teaching social skills. Limitations and advantages of combining the two approaches are discussed. (Author/JW)

Results generated by peers, teachers, and unbiased observers converged in some behavioral domains and diverged in others. All three sources provided similar pictures of the relation between aggression and status, although observations of third grade boys did not yield sufficient frequencies of aggression to allow meaningful conclusions. (RH)