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Panel information
Panel 8. Social Intergroup Processes

Abstract

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Conventional frameworks of prosocial development emphasize sociocognitive and socioemotive processes as central to predicting prosocial behavior, with substantial evidence for their significance (Eisenberg et al., 2015). Key among these processes are perspective taking (grasping the thoughts, feelings, and social contexts of others) and empathic concern (feelings of care towards those in distress) (Carlo, 2014). However, cultural theorists have highlighted the relevance of cultural constructs – such as ethnic identity, which encapsulates the values, comprehension, and affinity to a person’s cultural background – in the developmental trajectories of ethnically and racially diverse youth (Knight & Carlo, 2012). Of particular interest is how culture-group related and non-culture-group related mechanisms might be linked to peer group affiliation, and in turn, linked to prosocial behaviors in U.S. Latine youth. Based on theory (Carlo & de Guzman, 2009) and prior empirical evidence (Carlo, 2014), we postulated that U.S. Latine youth who report strong ethnic identity are likely to affiliate with prosocial peers, which in turn, might foster higher levels of perspective taking and empathic concern. These sociocognitive and socioemotive traits should subsequently predict higher levels of prosocial behaviors. Participants were 1209 U.S. Latine youth (M_age = 19.83 years; 73.9% women; predominantly Mexican heritage) who completed an online survey. Preliminary path analyses using FIML showed a good model fit (χ² (4 , N = 1356) = 26.191, p < .001; CFI = 0.992, TLI = 0.968, RMSEA = 0.064, SRMR = 0.033). Ethnic identity positively corresponded to prosocial peer associations, perspective taking, and empathic concern, as well as directly influencing prosocial behavior (see Figure 1). Prosocial peers was a significant mediator, relating to both perspective taking and empathic concern, and indirectly contributing to prosocial behavior. Perspective taking was strongly and positively related to empathic concern and, along with empathic concern, was significantly and positively related to prosocial behavior. Discussion will focus on the central role of ethnic identity and the integration of culture-group related and non-culture-group related mechanisms to better understand prosocial development in U.S. Latine youth.

Author information

Author	Role
Lina Brodsky, University of California, Irvine	Presenting author

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