Empathetic arousal has been found to be a strong predictor of helping behavior. However, research has neglected the motivational mechanisms whereby empathetic concern elicits help giving. Three studies examined the extent to which autonomous and controlled motives for helping mediated the relationship between empathy and helping. Study 1 found that state empathy predicted willingness to offer t...

This cross-cultural study investigates how maternal task assignment relates to toddlers' requested behavior and helping between 18 and 30 months. One hundred seven mother-child dyads were assessed in three different cultural contexts (rural Brazil, urban Germany, and urban Brazil). Brazilian mothers showed assertive scaffolding (serious and insistent requesting), whereas German mothers employed...

TO HELP OR NOT TO HELP? ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF ENVY AND GRATITUDE ON PROSOCIAL BEHAVIORS By Anna Maria C. Behler, M.A., M.S. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2017 Major Director: Jeffrey D. Green, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Psychology Envy is an o...

Our study examines two models of helping behavior in work groups. Our first model is a crosslevel model and predicts that group-level cohesion, cooperative norms, and task conflict are related to individual helping behavior (peer-rated). Results support our hypotheses and further demonstrate that of the three group characteristics, cooperative norms have the strongest relationship with individu...