The Development of Prosocial Behavior

This chapter focuses on the development of prosocial behavior and the factors that may contribute to its origins. After discussing definitional and conceptual distinctions, the development of prosocial responding, its stability, and correlates of individual differences in prosocial responding are summarized. Then the potential contributions of heredity; socialization experiences in the context of parents, peers, siblings, and teachers; cultural factors; and the effects of interventions are reviewed. We conclude with some comments regarding gaps in the research.