Does perspective taking predict changes in social skills? The moderating role of affiliation motives

Abstract

The present study focused changes in social skills and weather affiliation motives moderate the effect of perspective taking on the changes in social skills. A total of 468 junior high school students participated in the survey with a half-year interval. The results of regression analysis showed a significant moderation role of affiliation motives for the effect of perspective taking on changes in social skills. The results of simple slope analysis indicated that perspective taking promoted social skills when affiliation motives were relatively high. Meanwhile, the results also showed that perspective taking did not facilitate social skills when affiliation motives were relatively low. Discussion describes how to encourage social skills in junior high school students through considering the viewpoint of perspective taking and affiliation motives.