Priming Effects on Prosocial Behavior of Children: a Systematic Review

Abstract

Experiments using priming contribute to the investigation into subtle environmental cues that influence our behavior in an automatic manner. Prosocial behaviors are essential to life in groups and are present during the first months of life. As such, part of the studies that use priming are concerned with understanding environmental cues that can influence prosocial behavior during infancy. The current study aims to evaluating the effect of different primers on the prosocial behavior of children. We used a systematic review method in May and June 2019, which accessed the following databases: APA PsycNET, PubMed, Google Scholar, Index Psi, SciELO, PePsic, Embase, and Theses and Dissertations Catalog—CAPES. The eligibility criteria were empirical studies on prosocial behavior in children up to 12 years old, published at any date, written in English or Portuguese, and that used the concept of priming as environmental cues. A total of 14 studies were found. The results indicate that those primers that trigger concepts such as ostracism, self-control, morality, empathy, sharing, and helping increase prosocial behavior. On the other hand, primers that trigger the concepts of violence, wealth, and the focus on self decreased prosociality. However, the low cultural diversity among the 14 studies analyzed stands out as a limitation. We conclude that priming experiments contribute to the understanding of prosocial behavior, thus proving to be a good way of investigating environment stimuli associated with these behaviors during infancy.