2-042 - Close Relationships with Parents and Friends as Contexts for the Development of Empathy and Prosocial Behavior in Adolescence

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Developmental theory posits that close relationships are key contexts for the development of empathy and prosocial behavior, yet the role of close relationships is understudied. Moreover, although empathy continues to develop in adolescence, most studies focus on childhood. The papers in the current symposium aim to address these gaps.

The first paper presents a set of studies indicating that empathetic distress resulting from emotional over-involvement in a best friend’s problems is more common among girls than boys and carries adjustment trade-offs in that it is related to greater positive friendship quality but also is associated with increased depression and anxiety symptoms. Empathetic joy (i.e., sharing in a friend’s emotion over positive events) is related to lower internalizing symptoms. The second paper considers the role of parents and best friends in socializing prosocial behavior and reveals that the effects are mediated by affective, but not cognitive, aspects of empathy. Best friends are especially critical socialization agents for girls whereas fathers are key for boys. The third and fourth papers consider prosocial behavior directed toward strangers compared with close others. In the third paper, interdependent self-construal (emphasizing connection with others) was associated with increased prosocial behavior toward family and friends. The association between independent self-construal and prosocial behavior toward strangers was positive for US participants but negative for Indian participants. The fourth paper demonstrates that the impact of positive parenting on prosocial behavior toward parents and strangers is mediated through prosocial self-efficacy among adolescents in the US, Scotland, and New Zealand.

Sub Unit

• Moral Development

Chair

• Rhiannon L. Smith, University of Connecticut

Individual Presentations

• Empathetic Distress and Empathetic Joy in Adolescent Friendships - Presenting Author: Rhiannon L. Smith, University of Connecticut

• Relative Effects of Autonomy Support Provided by Mothers, Fathers and Best Friends on Adolescents’ Empathy and Prosocial Behavior - Presenting Author: Jolien Van der Graaff, Utrecht University; Gustavo Carlo, University of Missouri, Columbia; Minet de Wied, Universiteit Utrecht; Wim Meeus, Utrecht University; Susan J.T. Branje, Utrecht University

• Independent and Interdependent Self-Construals and Prosocial Behavior Towards Kin, Friends, and Strangers in US and Indian Youth - Presenting Author: Alexandra Nicole Davis, University of Missouri, Columbia; Gustavo Carlo, University of Missouri, Columbia; Duane Rudy, Univ of Missouri; Shanmukh V. Kamble, Department of Psychology, Karnatak University, India

• Positive Parenting and Adolescents’ Prosocial Behavior Toward Mothers, Fathers, and Strangers: Mediation Though Prosocial Efficacy - Presenting Author: Mary B Eberly Lewis, Oakland Univ