Prosocial behaviour[1] is a social behavior that "benefit[s] other people or society as a whole",[2] "such as helping, sharing, donating, co-operating, and volunteering". The person may or may not intend to benefit others; the behaviour's prosocial benefits are often only calculable after the fact. (Consider: Someone may intend to 'do good' but the effects may be catastrophic.)[3] Obeying the rules and conforming to socially accepted behaviors (such as stopping at a "Stop" sign or paying for groceries) are also regarded as prosocial behaviors.[4] These actions may be motivated by culturally influenced value systems; empathy and concern about the welfare and rights of others;[5] egoistic or practical concerns, such as one's social status or reputation, hope for direct or indirect reciprocity, or adherence to one's perceived system of fairness;[1] or altruism, though the existence of pure altruism is somewhat disputed, and some have argued that this falls into the philosophical rather than psychological realm of debate.[6] Evidence suggests that prosociality is central to the well-being of social groups across a range of scales, including schools. Prosocial behavior in the classroom can have a significant impact on a student's motivation for learning and contributions to the classroom and larger community.[7][8] In the workplace, prosocial behaviour can have a significant impact on team psychological safety, as well as positive indirect effects on employee's helping behaviors and task performance.[9] Empathy is a strong motive in eliciting prosocial behavior, and has deep evolutionary roots.[10][11]
Prosocial behavior fosters positive traits that are beneficial for children and society. It helps many beneficial functions by bettering production of any league and its organizational scale.[12] Evolutionary psychologists use theories such as kin-selection theory and inclusive fitness as an explanation for why prosocial behavioral tendencies are passed down generationally, according to the evolutionary fitness displayed by those who engaged in prosocial acts.[13] Encouraging prosocial behavior may also require decreasing or eliminating undesirable social behaviors.[8]
Although the term "prosocial behavior" is often associated with developing desirable traits in children,[14][15] the literature on the topic has grown since the late 1980s to include adult behaviors as well.[16] The term "prosocial" has grown into a world-wide movement,[17][18] using evolutionary science[19] to create real-world pro-social changes from working groups[20] to whole cultures.[21]
^Arthur P. Brief & Stephan J. Motowidlo (1986). "Prosocial organizational behaviors". The Academy of Management Review. 11 (4): 710–725. doi:10.2307/258391. JSTOR258391.
^Baumeister & Bushman (2007). Social Psychology and Human Nature. Cengage Learning. p. 254. ISBN9780495116332.
^Santrock, John W. A Topical Approach to Life Span Development 4th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. Ch. 15, pp. 489–491
^Sloan Wilson, David (2015). Does Altruism Exist?: Culture, Genes, and the Welfare of Others. Yale University Press. ISBN9780300189490.
^Barrett, Louise (2002). Human Evolutionary Psychology. Princeton University Press. ISBN978-0-691-09622-3.
^Eisenberg, Nancy; Paul Henry Mussen (1989-08-25). The Roots of Prosocial Behavior in Children. Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-0-521-33771-7.[page needed]
^Biglan, Anthony (2020). Rebooting Capitalism: How We Can Forge a Society That Works for Everyone. Eugene, OR, US: Values to Action. ISBN978-0578690902.