Manifestations of Prosociality in Relationship to Each Other in Siblings of Preschool and Early Age

59

Abstract

The work is aimed at identifying the features of prosocial behavior in sibling pairs of preschool and early age children. The materials of an empirical study obtained on a sample of three two-child families are presented. The study involved children aged 2 to 5,5 years (M=3,917) and their mothers aged 25 to 37 years (M=29,7). Two pairs of siblings were of different sexes (older brother — younger sister and older sister — younger brother) and one pair consisted of two sisters. The study was conducted by observing the behavior of children, interviews with mothers and a series of experimental situations developed by E.O. Smirnova, V.M. Kholmogorova. The results obtained suggest that children of both preschool and early age are capable of showing prosociality in relation to sibling. Their prosocial behavior manifests itself in the form of instrumental help, empathy and altruism.

General Information

Keywords: siblings; young children; preschool children; prosocial behavior in childhood

Journal rubric: Age-Related Psychology

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/ssc.2023040203

Received: 09.10.2023

Accepted:

For citation: Tsvitsinskaya A.M., Bulygina M.V. Manifestations of Prosociality in Relationship to Each Other in Siblings of Preschool and Early Age [Elektronnyi resurs]. Sotsial’nye nauki i detstvo = Social Sciences and Childhood, 2023. Vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 39–52. DOI: 10.17759/ssc.2023040203. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

References

  1. Baskaeva О.V. Osnovnye napravleniya siblingovykh issledovanii [The main directions of sibling research]. Vestnik RGGU. Seriya «Psikhologiya. Pedagogika. Obrazovanie» = Bulletin of the Russian State University for the Humanities. Seriya «Psikhologiya. Pedagogika. Obrazovanie», 2021, no. 2, pp. 96–115. DOI:10.28995/2073-6398-2021-2-96-115 (In Russ.).
  2. Bulygina M.V. Siblingovye otnosheniya i ikh rol' v zhizni cheloveka [Sibling relationships and their role in human life]. Sovremennaya zarubezhnaya psikhologiya = Modern foreign psychology, Vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 147–156. DOI:10.17759/jmfp.2021100414 (In Russ.).
  3. Klimenkova E.N. Razvitie mentalizatsii i empatii v ontogeneze: obzor empiricheskikh issledovanii [The development of mentalization and empathy in ontogenesis: a review of empirical research]. Konsul'tativnaya psikhologiya i psikhoterapiya = Counseling psychology and psychotherapy, 2016. Vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 126–137. DOI:10.17759/cpp.20162404062 (In Russ.).
  4. Smirnova E.O., KholmogorovaM. Mezhlichnostnye otnosheniya doshkol'nikov: problemy, diagnostika, korrektsiya [Interpersonal relationships of preschoolers: problems, diagnosis, correction]. Мoscow: VLADOS, 2005. 158 p. (In Russ.).
  5. Sotnkova E.I. Vzaimosvyaz' komponentov prosotsial'nogo povedeniya u detei doshkol'nogo vozrasta [Interrelation of the components of prosocial behavior in preschool children]. Vestnik Belorusskogo gosudarstvennogo pedagogicheskogo universiteta. Seriya 1. Pedagogika. Psikhologiya. Filosofiya = Bulletin of the Belarusian State Pedagogical University. Series 1. Pedagogy. Psychology. Philosophy, 2022, no. 1(111), pp. 65–69. (In Russ.).
  6. Yudina T.O., KotovaN. Razvitie prosotsial'nogo povedeniya u detei rannego vozrasta [Development of prosocial behavior in young children]. Publ. Shagi [Steps], 2015. Vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 108–121. DOI:10.22394/2412-9410-2015-1-1-108-121 (In Russ.).
  7. Berkel S. van, Song J.-H., Gonzalez R., Olson S., Volling B. Don’t Touch: Developmental Trajectories of Toddlers’ Behavioral Regulation Related to Older Siblings’ Behaviors and Parental Discipline. Social development (Oxford, England), 2020. Vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 1031–1050. DOI:10.1111/sode.12440
  8. Brownell C.E., Kopp C.B. (eds.). Socioemotional development in the toddler years: Transitions and transformations. New York: Guilford Press, 2007. 497 p.
  9. Daniel E., Plamondon A., Jenkins J.M. An examination of the sibling training hypothesis for disruptive behavior in early childhood. Child Development, 2017. Vol. 89(1), pp. 235–247. DOI:10.1111/cdev.12754
  10. Devine R.T., Hughes C. Family correlates of false belief understanding in early childhood: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 2018. Vol. 89(5), pp. 971–987. DOI:10.1111/cdev.12682
  11. Dunfield K.A., Kuhlmeier V.A. Classifying prosocial behavior: helping, sharing, and comforting subtypes. Child Development, 2013. Vol. 84, no. 5, pp. 1766–1776. DOI:10.1111/cdev.12075
  12. Dunfield K.A., Kuhlmeier V.A., O'Connell L.J., Kelle E.A. Examining the diversity of prosocial behavior: helping, sharing, and comforting in infancy. Infancy: the Official Journal of the International Society on Infant Studies, 2011. Vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 227–247. DOI:10.1111/j.1532-7078.2010.00041.x
  13. Foody M., Samara M., O'Higgins N.J. Bullying by siblings and peers: Poly‐setting victimization and the association with problem behaviours and depression. Educational Psychology, 2020. Vol. 90, no. 1, pp. 138–157. DOI:10.1111/bjep.12311
  14. Hoffman M. The development of empathy. Altruism and helping behavior: Social, personality, and developmental perspectives. J.P. Rushton, R.M. Sorrentino (eds.). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 1981, pp. 41–63. DOI:10.7551/mitpress/9780262012973.003.0007
  15. Howe N., Rosciszewska J., Persram R. “I’m an ogre so I’m very hungry!” “I’m assistant ogre”: The Social Function of Sibling Imitation in Early Childhood. Infant and Child Development, 2018. Vol. 27, no. 1, pp. e2040. DOI:10.1002/icd.2040
  16. Kennedy K., Lagattuta K.H., Sayfan L. Sibling composition, executive function, and children’s thinking about mental diversity. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2015, no. 132, pp. 121–139. DOI:10.1016/j.jecp.2014.11.007
  17. McAlister A.R., Peterson C.C. Siblings, theory of mind, and executive functioning in children aged 3–6 years: New longitudinal evidence. Child Development, 2013. Vol. 84(4), pp. 1442–1458. DOI:10.1111/cdev.12043
  18. Peterson C.C. Kindred spirits: Influences of siblings’ perspectives on theory of mind. Cognitive Development, 2000. Vol. 15(4), pp. 435–455. DOI:10.1016/S0885-2014(01)00040-5
  19. Roth-Hanania R., Davidov M., Zahn-Waxler C. Empathy development from 8 to 16 months: Early signs of concern for others. Infant Behavior and Development, 2011. Vol. 34(3), pp. 447–458. DOI:10.1016/j.infbeh.2011.04.007
  20. Tavassoli N., Recchia H., Ross H. Preschool Children’s Prosocial Responsiveness to Their Siblings’ Needs in Naturalistic Interactions: A Longitudinal Study. Early Education and Development, 2019. Vol. 30, pp. 1–19. DOI:10.1080/10409289.2019.1599095
  21. Vaish A., Carpenter M., Tomasello M. Sympathy through affective perspective taking and its relation to prosocial behavior in toddlers. Developmental Psychology, 2009. Vol. 45(2), pp. 534–543. DOI:10.1037/a0014322
  22. Wellman H., Cross D., Watson J. Meta-analysis of theory-of-mind development: The truth about false belief. Child Development, 2001. Vol. 72(3), pp. 655–684. DOI:10.1111/1467-8624.00304
  23.  

Information About the Authors

Alisa M. Tsvitsinskaya, master's student “Child and family psychotherapy”, Moscow State University of Psychology & Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8546-2097, e-mail: squirrel-alisa@yandex.ru

Maria V. Bulygina, PhD in Psychology, associate professor at the chair of child and family psychotherapy department of psychological counseling, Moscow State University of Psychology & Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4459-0914, e-mail: buluginamv@mgppu.ru

Metrics

Views

Total: 238
Previous month: 15
Current month: 2

Downloads

Total: 59
Previous month: 3
Current month: 0