Correlations among moral values, prosocial behavior and attitudes od adolescents towards antisocial peer begavior

In this paper, the research object was the adolescents' moral values, prosocial behavior expression and attitudes towards the prosocial behavior of their peers. The problematic question to find out the link of adolescents' moral values with their prosocial behavior and attitudes towards their peers' antisocial behavior was raised in this research. While seeking to achieve the research aim - to determine the correlations between adolescents' moral values, their prosocial behavior and attitudes towards antisocial behavior of peers, the research objectives were identified: to find out the moral values internalization features of adolescents; to determine their prosocial behavior expression; to clarify the attitudes of adolescents towards their peers' prosocial behavior; to assess the interrelationship among adolescents' moral values, prosocial behavior and attitudes towards their peers' antisocial behavior. The following hypotheses were raised in the study: the external regulation of values would be more characteristic to male adolescents while female adolescents would possess a more autonomous - an integrative value regulation; female adolescents would be more susceptible to altruistic and male adolescents to public prosocial behavior; adolescents with the more expressed integrative regulation of moral values would tend to more critically assess their peers' antisocial actions. The sample consisted of 385 pupils, 192 girls and 193 boys, interviewed in March - June, 2015 applying the written survey method. The results indicate that the identified regulation of values among adolescents was expressed most. All regulatory components of values were more expressed in the girls' group, but the overall value internalisation was more attributive to boys. While analyzing the prosocial behavior expression it should be noted that the 13-16 year-olds were more likely to help each other in the event of disaster. Meanwhile, they possessed the least altruistic and anonymous prosocial behavior. The study showed that most adolescents tended to justify minor deviant behavior, were more critical to criminal behavior against themselves and most of them condemn criminal behavior towards others. The most significant statistical correlation was established between the internalisation of moral values’ components and help in an event of disaster. Statistically significant relationships were also found between help in an event of disaster, all forms of antisocial behavior and identified regulation and attitudes towards all peers' antisocial behaviors. In order to promote the internalisation of adolescents' moral values in the educational process parents and educators should pay more attention not to external awards or encouragement, but to the meeting the adolescents' autonomy and competence needs. The correlation between adolescents' moral values and attitudes towards antisocial behavior of peers suggests that both parents and educators should be aware of factors impacting the adolescents’ attitudes to delinquent behavior. It should be noted that the internalisation of values constructs not only the adolescent's attitude to antisocial peer behavior but also to his or her own actions as well. According to the survey data, adolescents were not likely to help others when no one was watching them, and much more likely to do so as being observed. Therefore, it is relevant to focus on interpreting and promoting the internal prosocial behavior motives in the process of education so that positive behavior would result not for showing oneself or for being praised but because one should want to help others in an event of disaster. Having determined that moral values were significantly associated with the adolescents' prosocial behavior and attitudes towards their peers' antisocial behavior, it would be relevant and useful to determine the factors that motivate the adolescents' internalisation of moral values in further research