Prosocial and antisocial motivation of adolescents in East and West Germany

Abstract

In this chapter, we attempt to advance the discussion about the role macro­ social conditions play in individual development, especially in the develop­ ment of pro- and antisocial behavior, In this attempt, we seek to clarify the effects of socialization conditions in the former GDR on the development of social motives, conditions for the development of social motives and inner structure, the development of aspects of pro- and antisocial motivation (tak­ ing into account the roots they may have in common and their situation­ specific activation), and the effects of the drastic political and economic changes follOwing the unification of East and West Germany on the develop­ ment of social motives. This requires clarification of the problems and risks adolescents face during drastic socioeconomic change. Increasing or stabiliz­ ing differences in social motives between East and West German adolescents may constitute a serious obstacle not only to the psychological process of uni­ fication, but also to the process adapting to the massive sociopolitical changes currently taking place. Ideally, these goals would be achieved by means of a longitudinal study, making use of a quasinatural experimental design. Here, however, we present only the data from our first measurement of the social motives of East and West German adolescents, which we will study by focusing on the socialization con­ ditions before the unification.