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Development of prosociality and the effects of adversity

Nature Reviews Psychology (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Understanding how children become kind and caring prosocial adults matters for the survival and thriving of humanity. However, adversity can impact children’s prosocial potential in multifaceted ways. In this Review, we provide critical insights into how humans become prosocial from a developmental-relational perspective. We begin by discussing central factors underlying the development of prosociality in children. Next, we summarize research on the effects of adversity on prosocial development, including the effects of exposure to traumatic life events and everyday hurts and stressors, as well as protective factors that help children to find, remain on, or return to a prosocial path. Then we discuss interventions to nurture prosociality from an early age in every individual, emphasizing the role of practices of care to create positive change at community levels. Finally, we make recommendations for future research.

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Fig. 1: Examples of prosociality in peer relationships.
Fig. 2: The web of care.
Fig. 3: Development of prosociality.

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Acknowledgements

This article was supported by an Alexander von Humboldt Professorship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (awarded to T.M.), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) (grant number 508598 awarded to T.M.), and the New Frontiers in Research Fund (grant number 513759 awarded to T.M.).

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  1. Humboldt Science Center for Child Development, Faculty of Education, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany

    Tina Malti

  2. Centre for Child Development, Mental Health, and Policy, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Tina Malti & Ruth Speidel

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Malti, T., Speidel, R. Development of prosociality and the effects of adversity. Nat Rev Psychol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-024-00328-7

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