Bounce-back in prosociality: From middle childhood to early adolescence

Abstract

Development of prosociality and a trajectory in prosocial behaviors have been a major interest among developmental psychologists. The present study investigates age-related changes in prosocial behaviors from middle childhood to early adolescence based on the relational approach, emphasizing relations with the recipients of the prosocial behaviors (i.e., prosocial behavior toward family, strangers, and friends). A total of 1,829 Japanese students (944 boys and 885 girls) from mid-elementary and junior high schools (ages 9―14 at the time of the first measurement) participated in a one-year longitudinal study. This sample consisted of five cohorts: the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade samples. The results of the latent difference score model showed a decrease in prosocial behaviors once, as mean level of individual changes; while at the same time, the model indicated a bounce-back in prosociality after the middle of the junior high school period. Additionally, we found unique changes in prosocial behaviors toward family in the form not following the overall developmental trajectory.