Promoting Prosocial Behavior Toward Refugees: Exploring the Empathy-Attitude-Action Model in Middle Childhood

Abstract

Given the current global “refugee crisis,” there is a need for research investigating methods to promote positive intergroup relationships in host communities. This chapter will explore how empathy can be used to encourage host-society children to develop positive attitudes and engage in helping and prosocial behaviors toward refugees. The focus will be on middle childhood, a period when youth acquire advanced forms of perspective taking and an increased understanding of intergroup dynamics. This chapter extends prior research in adult populations by applying the empathy-attitudes-action model as an intervention for preparing children to engage positively toward incoming refugee children. This model outlines that inducing empathy toward a member of a stigmatized group may improve out-group attitudes as a whole, and in turn, increase prosocial behavior toward that collective out-group. Furthermore, the chapter recognizes the agency of children in establishing harmonious intergroup relations and in creating peaceful and inclusive societies. This chapter concludes with a call to action, advocating for the implementation of preventative programs that prepare children to engage meaningfully with their new peers.

Construct Validity of the Attitudes towards Maghrebis in Education Scale (AMES)

“…In addition, in the present study, the AMES shows an adequate level of reliability for the whole scale as well as for each item. In general, the psychometric properties of the scale yielded values consistent with those presented in other similar scales, but evaluated the diversity and interculturality attitudes toward the migrant population in general [ 50 ], instead of assessing one in particular (Maghrebi migrants). Due to all of these reasons, the AMES was found to be a considered feasible measure to apply in the Spanish context.…”

Inventing new road paths for the contact theory through contact with a puppet (a “Syrian refugee child”) via a teacher-led intervention in a Greek primary school.

“…The positive trends identified within both intervention groups at T2 and most importantly the buffering effect that held the deterioration of attitudes in both intervention groups at T3, that is, at a time of a general deterioration in Greece and globally (Glen et al, 2020), which was, on the other hand, illustrated in the deepest deterioration within the control group, is a significant and promising finding. In essence, within the control group results on Empathy toward the Refugees and on Contact Behavioral Intentions, became significantly worse from T1 to T3, and this finding is likely to reflect the general negativity that was growing within the Greek society, as the refugee issue had become a major political arena between the government and right political parties and weekly protests in rural Greece against refugee relocation were frequently taking place (Kirtsoglou & Tsimouris, 2018).…”

“…In this sense, threats posed by the outgroup hold a mediating role between contact and prejudice, since they have the power to inhibit intergroup relations and increase prejudicial attributions. Indeed, attitudes toward refugees are globally deteriorating and negative feelings are also spiraled by the way the outgroup is being projected and communicated by the media (Glen et al, 2020). The majority of European adults, report concerns, perceived threats to the national security and experience anxiety when accepting refugees into their country (De Coninck et al, 2019) and children may be witnessing such concerns within the family context.…”

“…Likewise, research has shown that children’s helping behaviors are significantly influenced by the perceived need and merit of the recipient, an ability that also develops with age. For example children allocated more resources to groups of people that have been historically disadvantaged within their society (in Glen et al, 2020), while there were also indications for the pervasiveness of increased empathy and positive attitudes. The researchers argue that interventions which combine contact and social-cognitive programs that promote intergroup empathy are more effective in promoting positive intergroup attitudes.…”

Helping in the context of refugee immigration

“…When and how do people take action to help refugees? A range of helping behaviors has been suggested including mundane, single acts of helping [32], solidarity, donations, interpersonal help and activism [24,[35][36][37][38][39][40][41]. Recently, researchers distinguished between two types of helping behavior: benevolence (compassionately alleviating the suffering of others) and activism (changing current social, legal and political structures to create greater equality [42]).…”