Forms and Functions of Prosocial Behavior Moderate the Continuity of Aggression in Early Adolescence

Typically, measures of aggression are negatively related to measures of prosocial behavior; however, under certain circumstances prosociality may actually promote aggression (Hawley, 2002). A subset of school-aged students may use both behaviors simultaneously to navigate and influence their peer system. Thus, it is imperative to investigate the extent to which their interaction may be associated with promoting or minimizing aggression over time. These associations were investigated in two short-term longitudinal studies of 5th and 6th grade students. Peer nomination procedures were used to assess different forms (e.g., ethic of care and justice) and functions (e.g., proactive, reactive help) of prosocial behavior on changes in physical and relation aggression across a school semester. The results of Study 1 indicate that both types of aggression are stable. Whereas physical aggression declined over a 4-month period, relational aggression increased among girls as well as boys. In line with predictions, students who were initially high on care and justice increased in relational aggression, compared to those scoring low on measures of care and justice. On the other hand, high levels of care and justice were protective against physical aggression. The effects of care were replicated in Study 2 providing compelling evidence that care orientation helps promote relational type of aggression in early adolescence. However, ethic of justice was found to have a buffering effect against relational aggression, contrary to what was observed in Study1. Further, driven by the need to better understand the motivational factors underling prosocial behaviors, proactive and reactive functions of helping were explored and their associations with aggression. Proactive help was unrelated to either type of aggression; on the other hand, reactive help at the beginning of a school semester had a buffering effect on physical aggression two months later. Together, this set of results highlights the importance of taking into account multiple aspects of prosociality to better understand their links with aggression. Understanding factors associated with elevated aggression over time is integral in designing prevention and interventions programs aimed to reduce