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Developmental Changes in Children’s Ethical Guilt and the Association between Ethical Guilt and Prosocial Behavior

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: This study examined developmental changes in ethical guilt and their effects on prosocial behavior in a sample of Japanese children. Participants were lower-, middle-, and upper-grade elementary school students (N=286). A social-emotional responding task, sharing task, and an assessment of sympathy were conducted. Ethical guilt increases with childhood development and positively affects prosocial behavior; additionally, ethical guilt moderates the relationship between sympathy and prosocial behavior. This study confirmed that low sympathy does not significantly inhibit prosocial behavior if ethical guilt is high; however, prosocial behavior is inhibited if ethical guilt is also low.

Source: The Japanese Journal of Personality

DOI: 10.2132/personality.33.3.2

Authors: Koji Etchu, Ryo Saito, Mari Hasegawa

Institutions: Miyagi University of Education, Tohoku University

Language: English

Topic: Emotions and Moral Behavior

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science