Promoting prosocial behaviour toward refugees
Dr Laura Taylor and Dr Jocelyn Dautel set out details of their study, 'Promoting prosocial behaviour toward refugees: Exploring the empathy-attitude-action model in middle childhood'.
Over half of refugees are school-aged children. In host communities, children's attitudes and behaviours are important for the integration of refugee children. We conducted this study in Spring 2017 in Northern Ireland (NI) following the increase in migration to Europe and the NI governments’ pledge to resettle 2,000 Syrian refugees.
Our study examined the empathy–attitudes–action model in middle childhood (N = 94, 8 to 11 years old). In both the experimental and control conditions, children were introduced to a (fictional) refugee and told that he or she would be moving to their school. The experimental condition also listened to a storybook about the child's refugee experience.
Empathy, outgroup attitudes, and prosocial behaviour toward the incoming child, and refugees as a group, were measured. Although mediation was not supported, the storybook condition reported more empathy and helping intentions, and attitudes predicted helping intentions but not giving to refugees. Results highlight how host-society children can welcome refugees.
For more details about the study aims and design, please read the open access version of book chapter available via this link.
Details of the full publication are:
Glen, C., Taylor, L., & Dautel, J. (2019). Promoting prosocial behaviour toward refugees: Exploring the empathy-attitude-action model in middle childhood. In Children and Peace: From Research to Action (pp. 71-87). Springer (available here).
For more details about empirical findings, please read the open access version of our article available via this link
Taylor, L. K., & Glen, C. (2020). From empathy to action: Can enhancing host-society children’s empathy promote positive attitudes and prosocial behavior towards refugees? Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 30(2), 214-226.
Dr laura Taylor, Dr Jocelyn Dautel
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Recommended reference for this page:
Taylor, L. K. & Dautel, J. 2021. Promoting prosocial behaviour toward refugees: Exploring the empathy-attitude-action model in middle childhood. Blogpost for Queen's on Ethnic Minorities in Northern Ireland.