Poster #55 - Social Cognitions and Emotions Mediating Peer Attachment to Prosocial Behaviors in U.S Latinx Youth

• In Event: Poster Session 02

Abstract

Understanding the relations between peer attachment (i.e., trust and mutual respect with others) and prosocial behaviors (i.e., voluntary actions intended to benefit others) can inform strength-based theories on the social development of U.S. Latinx youth. As peers take on a greater role in the lives of adolescents, it is important to examine how peers can affect the social and emotional behaviors of Latinx youth. Peer attachment can be a significant source of support and can positively impact adolescents’ social and psychological adjustment (Carlo et al., 2012; Schoeps et al, 2020). While much of the research has focused on the deleterious effects of poor peer relationships, some studies find that positive peer attachments can promote youth self-esteem, which can motivate adolescents to engage in prosocial behaviors (Laible et al., 2000).
Empathic concern (i.e., feelings of sorrow for needy others), perspective taking (i.e., understanding someone's social situation), and prosocial moral reasoning (i.e., care-based thinking about moral dilemmas) are socio-cognitive and -emotive mechanisms that can help explain how peer attachment is associated with prosocial behaviors. Perspective taking can facilitate empathic concern when someone is in distress (Farrant et al., 2012). Empathic concern, in turn, can induce high-level moral principles that are in accordance with one’s concern for others' welfare (Hoffman, 1987). Based on theory and prior research, one might expect that peer attachment would relate positively to perspective taking, which would relate positively to empathic concern. In turn, empathic concern was expected to be positively related to prosocial moral reasoning, which in turn, would be positively linked to altruistic and care-based prosocial behaviors but negatively linked to public (selfishly-motivated) prosocial behaviors.
The present study examines the links among peer attachment, perspective taking, empathic concern, prosocial moral reasoning and prosocial behaviors among U.S. Latinx adolescents. Participants were 305 adolescents (M age = 15.4 years; range 14-18, 46% boys) who completed a paper and pencil survey on measures of peer attachment, socio-cognitive and -emotive mechanisms and prosocial behaviors. Path analyses were conducted using maximum likelihood estimation in MPlus. The model included the direct relations between peer attachment and three forms of prosocial behaviors (care-based, altruistic, and public). Peer attachment was also set to predict empathic concern, perspective taking and moral reasoning which in turn predicted care-based, altruistic and public prosocial behaviors.The model fit was adequate (χ 2 (5)= 9.94, p =.02; CFI = .99; RMSEA = .12; SRMR = .04). Multigroup analysis showed no gender differences in the main model. As expected, path analyses indicated that peer attachment was related to high levels of perspective taking and empathic concern, which in turn predicted care-based and altruistic prosocial behaviors. Additionally, peer attachment was related to high levels of perspective taking, empathic concern and moral reasoning, which in turn, predicted low levels of public prosocial behaviors. The findings support socialization and cognitive-developmental theories of prosocial behaviors. Discussion focuses on the importance of positive peer relationships and the central roles of socio-cognitive and -emotive mechanisms in predicting distinct forms of prosocial behaviors.

Authors

• Marixza Torres, University of California - Irvine
  Presenting Author

• Gustavo Carlo, University of California, Irvine

• Alysia Cruz, University of California - Irvine

• Roushanac Partovi, University of California - Irvine

• Lisa J Crockett, University of Nebraska - Lincoln