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Universal norm psychology leads to societal diversity in prosocial behaviour and development

Author

Listed:
  • Bailey R. House

    (University of York
    Arizona State University)

  • Patricia Kanngiesser

    (Freie Universität Berlin)

  • H. Clark Barrett

    (University of California, Los Angeles)

  • Tanya Broesch

    (Simon Fraser University)

  • Senay Cebioglu

    (Simon Fraser University)

  • Alyssa N. Crittenden

    (University of Nevada, Las Vegas)

  • Alejandro Erut

    (University of California, Los Angeles)

  • Sheina Lew-Levy

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Carla Sebastian-Enesco

    (Universidad de La Rioja)

  • Andrew Marcus Smith

    (University of California, Los Angeles)

  • Süheyla Yilmaz

    (Freie Universität Berlin)

  • Joan B. Silk

    (Arizona State University
    Arizona State University)

Abstract

Recent studies have proposed that social norms play a key role in motivating human cooperation and in explaining the unique scale and cultural diversity of our prosociality. However, there have been few studies that directly link social norms to the form, development and variation in prosocial behaviour across societies. In a cross-cultural study of eight diverse societies, we provide evidence that (1) the prosocial behaviour of adults is predicted by what other members of their society judge to be the correct social norm, (2) the responsiveness of children to novel social norms develops similarly across societies and (3) societally variable prosocial behaviour develops concurrently with the responsiveness of children to norms in middle childhood. These data support the view that the development of prosocial behaviour is shaped by a psychology for responding to normative information, which itself develops universally across societies.

Suggested Citation

  • Bailey R. House & Patricia Kanngiesser & H. Clark Barrett & Tanya Broesch & Senay Cebioglu & Alyssa N. Crittenden & Alejandro Erut & Sheina Lew-Levy & Carla Sebastian-Enesco & Andrew Marcus Smith & Sü, 2020. "Universal norm psychology leads to societal diversity in prosocial behaviour and development," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 36-44, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:4:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41562-019-0734-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-019-0734-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Bilancini, Ennio & Boncinelli, Leonardo & Di Paolo, Roberto, 2023. "Game-based education promotes practices supporting sustainable water use," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    2. Coby Morvinski, 2022. "The effect of unavailable donation opportunities on donation choice," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 45-60, March.
    3. Yamoah, Fred A. & Yawson, David Eshun, 2022. "Promoting global well-being through fairtrade food: the role of international exposure," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 26(2), November.
    4. Cavatorta, Elisa & Zizzo, Daniel John & Daoud, Yousef, 2023. "Conflict and reciprocity: A study with Palestinian youths," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).

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