ERIC Number: EJ1457427
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1040-9289
EISSN: EISSN-1556-6935
Prosocial Behavior in Early Childhood across Boys and Girls: Associations among Parent- and Teacher-Report and Child Behavior on the Dictator Game
Early Education and Development, v36 n2 p410-430 2025
Research Findings: Prosocial behavior in early childhood can be assessed by various informants and methodologies, but the information each provides may differ in meaningful ways. The present study measured and compared young children's (N = 486; age: M = 48.51 months, SD = 8.22) prosocial behavior based on parent reports, teacher reports, and child behavior on the Dictator Game. Special consideration of the multidimensional nature of prosocial behavior was given by including questionnaire subscales for helping, sharing, and comforting behaviors, and differences across gender were investigated using a multigroup framework. Analyses found differences in the pattern of responding between parents and teachers and no agreement across informants. Observed sharing was not associated with either parent- or teacher-reported prosocial behavior. Gender differences were minimal, with girls rated as demonstrating more comforting behavior than boys by both parents and teachers and more overall prosocial behavior by teachers. Practice or Policy: Results suggest that methodology has a strong impact on the measurement of prosocial behavior. Children's prosocial behavior may differ across contexts or vary by informant perspective, and this must be considered when interpreting results. These findings thus support the need for multi-informant and multimethod approaches in child assessment.
Descriptors: Prosocial Behavior, Young Children, Child Behavior, Parent Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Gender Differences, Helping Relationship, Interpersonal Relationship, Measurement Techniques, Context Effect, Research Methodology, Foreign Countries, Sharing Behavior
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Switzerland; Germany; Turkey; Italy; France
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A