Prosocial and Antisocial Development

Role of Nature: Identical twins show modest correlations in tendency to engage in prosocial acts Most likely due to differences in temperament

e.g. amount of negative emotion and regulation of emotion e.g. Assertiveness

Again, a key difference in moral reasoning and moral action—e.g. how cognitive functioning and personality style (moral character) interact to influence behavior

Individual Differences in Prosocial Behavior

Nurture (e.g. Parents influence in 3 main ways)Modeling and communication of values

More imitation of those that have a positive relationship with Discussions of consequences on person’s feelings not just

indicating good/badOpportunities for prosocial activities

• “Snowball” effect: those that engage in prosocial feel better about themselves, others treat them more positively, thus engage in more prosocial behavior

Discipline and parenting style Supportive and constructive parenting is related to higher prosocial

behavior Physical punishment, threats, and authoritarian parenting are related to

lower sympathy and prosocial behavior Physical rewards for prosocial behavior decrease motivation later for

prosocial behavior if the reward is not present Punishment for not using prosocial behavior leads the child to believe the

reason for helping is to avoid own punishment

Antisocial Behavior• Comes in many forms, degrees, many paths to it• Poor parenting > child conduct problems

> peer rejection + academic failure > deviant peer group > antisocial behavior

• “Poor parenting” can result from low SES, low education, unemployment, marital discord/divorce, etc.

• Amplifying effect = stressors greater for those who already have negative traits or poor social skills

Conduct Disorder9% of males, 2 % of females under age 18Basic rights of others are violated, social norms and rules violatedDisturbance of conduct lasting at least 6 months during which 3 of the following have

been present:• Has stolen without confrontation of victim• Ran away from home more than twice• Often lies• Deliberately engages in fire setting• Often truant from school• Broken into someone else care, house, etc.• Cruel to animals• Forced someone into sexual activity• Initiates physical fights• Used a weapon in more than one fight• Stolen with confrontation of a victim• Physically cruel to people

Antisocial Personality DisorderA personality disorder = enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, or thinking about

world, exhibited in a range of contexts; inflexible and maladaptive (often recognizable by adolescence or earlier)

Conduct disorder prior to age 15 andA pattern of irresponsible and antisocial behavior since age 15 including at least 4 of the following: • Unable to sustain consistent work behavior• Fails to conform to social norms; lawful behavior• Irritable and aggressive• Fails to honor financial obligations• Impulsive• No regard for the truth (lies, cons, uses aliases)• Reckless regarding own and others’ safety• If parent, lacks ability to function as responsible parent• Has never sustained a monogamous relationship for more than a year• Lacks remorse

ASPD: Bob Hare’s DescriptivesEmotional/Interpersonal Problems• Glib and superficial• Egocentric• Lack of remorse or guilt• Lack of empathy• Deceitful and manipulative• Shallow emotions

Social Problems• Impulsive• Poor behavior controls• Need for excitement• Lack of responsibility• Early behavior problems

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Classic Inconsistency

• Continuity across development (5%) but at the same time:

• The majority of those with conduct disorders do not go on to develop ASPD

• There is a markedly higher rate of antisocial behaviour in teens (peeks at age 17, up to 70% of teens) (it may be normative?)

Equifinality

• Moffit’s (1993) Theory– Two paths:

• Life-Course Persistent– Starts early and continues into adulthood

• Adolescence-Limited– Starts and ends in adolescence

Life Course PersistentFactors that predispose us to ASPD

– 1. Genetics– 2. Prenatal alcohol and drug abuse– 3. Obstetrical complications

Resulting in neurological damagesNeurological damages expressed in 3 ways:

– Difficult temperament (cranky babies)– Deficits in verbal skills (expressive and receptive speech, reading

and writing development)– Executive deficits (planning behaviours, shifting attention,

checking the plan)Can be made worse with maladaptive home environments (e.g. harsh

and unpredictable behaviour by parents, abusive, poor monitoring) [Note: Biological parents may share neurological consequences

compounding the effect]

Life Course Persistent

• E.g. How these traits come together in ASB?– Verbal abilities

• Verbal deficits may lead to the child acting out more because they cannot articulate their needs appropriately

• Therefore, they elicit more negative feedback from caregivers

– Difficult Temperment Problems forming close attachments• Happens early (first with parents)

• And other relationships across the lifespan

• Poor relationships (lack of empathy), choose antisocial mates

– Executive Difficulties• Lead to decreased academic success due to inability to plan,

impulsive, poor attention

• Resulting in School failure, occupational failure, criminal behavior

Adolescence-Limited• Kids who associate with antisocial peers may mimic the behaviour

– This behaviour is seen as cool initially, but as they age, the rewards are seen differently (not so rewarding)

– They will then shift their behaviour more prosocial behaviour (they grow out of it)

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• Life-course persistent– Rare – 5%

– Inflexible

– Has biological roots• Environmentally influenced

• Adolescence Limited– Common

– Adaptive? Flexible

– has sociocultural roots (requires an antisocial role model they can mimic)

Evidence for 2 paths• People who experience birth complications have higher rate of adult

violent offending (Kandel & Mednick, 1991)• Twin studies (Taylor, 2000)

– Early onset---life-course (MZ > DZ)– Late onset—adolescence limited (MZ approximately equal to DZ)

• IQ Deficits– ASB ½ standard deviation below average IQ – PIQ > VIQ

• Even after accounting for SES & family adversity is accounted for

• Effortful attention (WISC-R ‘freedom from distraction’ is low for ASB• Inhibitory problems (Go/No-Go), Working memory deficits in ASB• Prefrontal cortex structural abnormalities