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Preschoolers' Responses to Peers' Distress and Beliefs About Bystander Intervention
Author(s) -
Caplan Marlene Zelek,
Hay Dale F.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1989.tb00237.x
Subject(s) - prosocial behavior , psychology , bystander effect , intervention (counseling) , distress , developmental psychology , helping behavior , clinical psychology , social psychology , psychiatry
The spontaneous responses of 27 3–5‐yr‐olds 10 the distress of their peers were recorded in the classroom. Individual interviews were also conducted to assess the children's understanding of social norms governing bystander intervention. Findings indicated that the children often paid attention to distressed peers, and many were capable of active intervention, Overall, however, a low rate of prosocial responding was observed. The interviews revealed that the children held systematic beliefs about how to aid a distressed companion, but did not believe they were supposed 10 help when competent adult caregivers were present.