Prosocial behavior: what it is and how it develops

Throughout our day we make many decisions that confront us with the dilemma of thinking about ourselves or others. Prosocial behavior and selfish behavior seem, at first glance, antagonistic.. However, do we really forget our needs to satisfy those of others? What personal and cultural factors lead us to act this way?

It has been discovered that humans are the only animals that display cooperative behaviors with individuals to whom we are not closely related. In the rest of the animal kingdom, kinship and reciprocity constitute the limits of positive behavior directed toward others. Therefore, we can say that Biology fails to fully account for our prosocial tendency and it is culture that takes over in this task..

What is prosocial behavior?

We could define prosocial behavior as any behavior that benefits others or has positive social consequences. Solidarity, cooperation, helping others, altruism… all of them are examples of this broad term that concerns us today.

Colloquially, we could say that we initiate prosocial behavior when we do something for another person. These types of actions are essential to establish and maintain social relationships, since they facilitate positive interactions with others.

Prosocial behavior is the antithesis of antisocial behaviors. We can understand the latter as acts of violence, intolerance, indifference for others and the environment and many other examples. The question to ask, then, is what determines our personal inclination towards one side or the other?

Prosocial behavior and personality

It has been discovered that There is a relationship between certain personality traits and the greater tendency to emit prosocial behaviors:

Selfconcept: This term refers to the perception, opinion and beliefs that each person has about themselves. The assessment we make of our own person seems to be directly related to the emission of prosocial behaviors and inversely related to antisocial behaviors. In such a way Those with healthier and more solid self-esteem are more likely to help others.Impulsiveness: Impulsive people tend to react quickly and reactively without considering the consequences. This trait reduces the probability of carrying out prosocial behaviors since the necessary analysis is not carried out prior to the action.Empathy: This is the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, understand their feelings and perceptions. This way, The most empathetic people are those who most frequently exhibit prosocial behaviors, due to its sensitivity to capture the states of others.

Learning and culture

Beyond the biological component that predisposes us to cooperate with others in certain circumstances, it is learning and culture that complete this equation.

First of all, we know that Any behavior that is followed by reinforcement tends to increase its frequency of occurrence. In the case of prosocial behaviors, the reinforcement we receive when emitting them is social (a thank you, a smile, the recognition of others…).

We could say, therefore, that Even in altruism (the highest moral behavior), the person who performs it also receives some type of benefit. If this entailed only costs for the individual, it would hardly have lasted over time.

On the other hand Socialization models play a fundamental role in the development of prosocial behaviors. During childhood we observe and imitate the behavior of those around us, and we also acquire information about which behaviors are desirable and which are not.

The values ​​transmitted during this vital stage will be decisive, but Even in adulthood, being exposed to certain models can lead us to adopt more prosocial habits.. A good example is found in the greater environmental awareness that many people are developing in recent times.

Definitely Prosocial behaviors have great value for life in society and for individual well-being. For this reason, we must encourage empathy, self-esteem and self-control in children and we must try, as adults, to show more of these actions in our daily lives. Taking an interest in each other is beneficial for everyone involved.

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