Reciprocity and prosocial behavior in democratic dynamic

Abstract

Prosocial behavior (CP) currently presents some conceptual overlaps with the construct of reciprocity, understood here as a lubricant of democratic dynamics. The proposed study is based on a research agreement between the Universities of Palermo and Malaga, to test the relationship between CP and reciprocity and the multiple dimensions that intervene on the two constructs at the individual, interpersonal and community level. A structural equation model (with the Lisrel method) was used to assess whether the principle of equity, belief in a just world, sense of community and neighborhood norm increase CP and whether this together with worldview and social trust, in turn, increase positive reciprocity and decrease negative reciprocity. The analyses presented are partial and concern the sample of Palermo, consisting of 307 subjects, residing in the eight districts of the city. From the analysis of the data, the parameters of the model are satisfactory even if the effect of the sense of community is not significant.