Delinquents' patterns of play may be used as the context for teaching youths to adapt to societal demands. Games are uniquely self-reinforcing. The game preferences and behavior of delinquents are seen to differ from those of nondelinquents and may be used as the focus of a planned program of treatment. (Author)

The theory is a plausible explanation of a phenomenon: students in the presence of a student tutoring program seem to manifest prosocial attitudes and behavior. (Author)

Investigates the relationship between empathy and two measures of moral development (Prosocial Moral Reasoning and Helping) and parental socialization practices in a sample of 72 students from grades 9, 11 and 12. (Author/SS)

Investigates whether several factors (intelligence, political liberalism, and altruistic behavior) previously found to be related to prohibition moral reasoning (about issues involving laws, rules, authorities, and formal obligations) are also associated with level of prosocial moral reasoning. Students in grades 9, 11, and 12 were tested.…

When 180 children were given candy to share with others following one of three conditions for learning to share (demonstration, induction, and control groups), they showed increased sharing behaviors under the conditions of behavior example and induction, especially and significantly with induction. Sharing also increased as resources increased.…

Ten- to 14-year olds and their mothers and teachers completed measures of parental discipline and children's prosocial behavior, empathy, and guilt. Parents' use of inductive rather than assertive discipline was related to children's prosocial behavior; children of inductive parents were more empathic than other children; and children's empathy…

Designed program for preschoolers and elders to promote sharing, cooperating, and helping behaviors in children. Used contact with natural grandparents in preschool, regular elderly volunteers in preschool, competent elderly visitors, contact with less able elders in nursing home, and classroom activities about older adults. Program resulted in…

Discusses whether humans have a capacity to care about others, or if the target of concern is always oneself. Presents evidence that supports the empathy-altruism hypothesis, suggesting that humans are capable of empathy and caring for another in need. Discusses limits on human capacity for altruistic caring. (JS)

Children with secure attachments at 12 and 18 months of age were found to be more empathic and prosocial toward others as preschoolers. (PCB)

In an examination of the association of shared positive affect during 2 communicative contexts, it was found that 18 normal children displayed positive affect toward an adult during joint attention situations, while 18 autistic children did not. Eighteen mentally retarded children displayed high levels of positive affect during requesting as well…

Studied responses of children aged 48-77 months to scenarios in which a friend or an acquaintance was frightened or angry. With friends, children were more likely to report sympathetic responses and propose an intervention. With acquaintances, children were less likely to intervene and more likely to report being unaffected. (BG)

Presents Life Space Interview (LSI), intervention strategy for use during crisis work with troubled students. Focuses on New Tools Salesmanship, special category of LSI in which interviewer helps student see failed connection between student's intention and behavior. Presents New Tools Salesmanship interview with fourth-grade student who…

Investigated the ways 0-6 year-old children express their altruism, particularly the feelings and actions making up the altruistic behavior in this period of development, based on parent reports. Found that children behave altruistically almost from birth, with a great variety of this feeling from 2-4 years old, mostly expressed toward loved…

Examines self-reported histories of victimization among two groups of men. Violence, provocation, hostility, and aggression inventories were administered to a prosocial group of firefighters and an antisocial group of incarcerated felons. Fourteen of the 15 possible behavioral-abuse correlations were significant when both groups were considered…

Naturalistically observed 52 preschoolers' responses to their crying peers. Found that variations in preschoolers' ways of responding were related to the children's temperament, friendship status, and interactive style with peers. (Author/BC)