How Can Teachers Promote Children's Autonomous Prosocial Behavior in Classroom?

• In Event: The Impact of Teacher-Student Relationships on Prosocial Behavior, Restorative Justice, and Bullying

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between classroom social goal and children’s autonomous prosocial behavior with drawing on self-determination theory. Participants were fourth through ninth graders in Japanese public schools. To examine school stage difference, we employed multiple group structural equation modeling. There were two key findings. First, classroom prosocial goal promoted children’s autonomous prosocial behavior and classroom compliance goal promoted children’s control prosocial behavior. Second, the relationship between classroom prosocial goal and children’s autonomous prosocial behavior had school stage difference: external, identified and internal motivation mediated the relationship for elementary school students, whereas only identified and internal motivation mediated for lower secondary school students. Then we discussed about the validity of classroom prosocial goal to promote children’s autonomous prosocial behavior.

Authors

• Takuma Yamamoto, Waseda University

• Hisashi Uebuchi, Waseda University