Prosocial behavior and empathy-related responding: Relations to children's well-being

Abstract

Moral emotions and behavior are thought to play an important role in individuals' well-being. We begin this chapter by defining moral behavior and differentiating between the empathy-related responses of empathy, sympathy, and personal distress. Next, we discuss associations between individuals' emotions and empathy-related responding (a broad term that encompasses empathy, sympathy, and personal distress), with a focus on both positive and negative emotions. We also discuss the relations of empathy and sympathy to high social competence and low problem behavior. The associations reported in this chapter highlight the importance of these social-emotional constructs in understanding the development of the Happy Mind.