The socialization of compassionate behavior by child care teachers

Examined how child care teachers socialization practices and child characteristics jointly predict childrens sympathetic-prosocial responding. A total of 25 teachers of 105 five-year-old children were observed during free play with regard to their warmth, nondirectiveness, and passivity-activity. The childrens reacting to distress simulations in two different situations were observed. The childrens inhibition and aggression were rated by teachers and parents. More compassionate behavior was shown by girls as compared to boys and by children in classes with warmer teachers; inhibited children showed tendentially less sympathetic-prosocial reaction than noninhibited children. Furthermore, girls who shown sympathetic-prosocial reactions were rated as more aggressive than girls who did not, and boys who showed sympathetic-prosocial behavior as compared to those who did not were in classes with warmer teachers. The data suggest that child characteristics as well as socialization practices play an important role in childrens interpersonal functioning. Among the teacher variables, their ability to interact in a warm, affectionate way is of central importance for the development of emotional competence in children