Prosocial behavior: A comprehensive education strategy to tackle violence

Abstract

In Colombia there are no consolidated studies that evidence the existence of prosocial behavior. There are very few indicators that measure how these behaviors can help reduce levels of aggression and violence. What is known from previous studies is that altruistic behaviors seem incompatible with aggression. This article summarizes the results of an investigation that describes the prosocial behaviors of children in the Colombian context. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 587 children between 9 and 12 years of age. The results show high levels of prosocial behavior among girls and significant differences among members of this gender group in almost all of the dimensions that were evaluated. Based on these results, it can be inferred that prosocial behavior represents a very important asset that helps prevent acts of aggression in schools.