Prosocial Behavior
Prosocial behavior is a pattern of actions that occur when a person helps others without the thought of receiving a reward or compensation and without motivation. On the other hand, if a motive is involved in doing charitable work, then it is altruism. Prosocial behavior is voluntary and includes actions that benefit society and other people through donations, cooperating, and sharing (Malti, Tina, and Krettenauer, 401).
Psychological Basis for Prosocial Behavior
Reasoning in a prosocial and moral perspective, talking, and the search for competence and emotional well-being of an individual are likely to form a psychological basis for developing prosocial behavior. Genetics, environmental influences like authoritative parenting and positive relations and interactions among peers, and the temperament of a person can contribute to the prosocial behavior development. Malti, Tina, and Krettenauer argued that when parents encourage empathic actions in response to other people's distress, children are likely to develop internal prosocial behavioral characteristics (405).
Antisocial Behavior
Antisocial behavior is shown by those who have hostility towards the values, rules, and traditions of a society or the society in general. The signs of antisocial personality disorder vary in different persons. The disorder can be dangerous and harmful if the individual is psychopathic where a person lacks a conscience in considering others or sociopathic that is characterized by a conscience that is severely gone wrong (Malti, Tina, and Krettenauer, 410).
Causes of Antisocial Behavior
Antisocial behavior may start during childhood and develop through interactions with a weak environment for character formation. Antisocial personality disorder has no known cause. However, its genetics may cause the disorder, especially when exposed to life circumstances that trigger such behavior. Changes in the brain during child development may also cause antisocial behavior. Factors that may promote the development of antisocial behavior include childhood abuse or neglect, unstable or chaotic families, and mental illness that could be related to family history.
Work cited
Malti, Tina, and Tobias Krettenauer. "The relation of moral emotion attributions to prosocial and antisocial behavior: A meta‐analysis." Child Development 84.2 (2013): 397-412.
