Peer-attributed prosocial behavior among aggressive/preferred, aggressive/non-preferred, non-aggressive/preferred and non-aggressive/non-preferred adolescents

Abstract

This study examined differences in the types of prosocial behavior that adolescents attribute to their peers who they consider as aggressive-preferred, aggressive-non-preferred, non-aggressive preferred and non-aggressive non-preferred. The subjects numbered 839 fourteen-year-old adolescents (408 girls and 431 boys). Prosocial behavior as well as aggressiveness and social preference (popularity and rejection) were assessed by peer nominations. The types of prosocial behavior were friendliness, trustworthiness, helpfulness, and leadership. Results showed that aggressive-popular, aggressive-unpopular, non-aggressive popular and non-aggressive unpopular adolescents were characterized by different attributes of prosociality. Friendliness was typical of non-aggressive unpopular adolescents and atypical of aggressive-popular ones, while leadership was characteristic of aggressive-popular adolescents and uncharacteristic of non-aggressive unpopular ones. Trustworthiness was a dominant attribute among all the groups, while helpfulness did not particularly characterize the prosociality profile of any group. As a rule, the results pointed to a more complex relationship between prosocial behavior, aggressiveness and social preference than the general assumption that non-aggressive and preferred adolescents may be characterized as prosocial and aggressive and non-preferred adolescents as lacking it. Significant gender differences were also found.