Answer to Question 1
There are several identified strategies for helping children take a greater interest in altruism.
(a) Modeling parents who demonstrate altruistic behavior and give their children the opportunity see them doing so will have children more likely to engage in such behaviors on their own.
(b) Disciplinary practices parents who employ warmth and support, set guidelines, provide feedback, and avoid harsh, threatening, and physical punishment have children who are more commonly involved in prosocial behaviors.
(c) Opportunities to behave prosocially when parents give their children ample opportunities to act in ways that help others, the children develop an interest in and satisfaction from such actions.
Answer to Question 2
In a classic research study, Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968) found that teachers'
expectations of student success were self-fulfilling prophecies. When teachers were
told that certain students in their classrooms were going to bloom intellectually in the
coming year, those chosen children showed increases in their IQ scores. The findings
of subsequent research have been mixed, but it may be that teacher expectations may
affect student self-esteem, motivation, and expectations for success. This has serious
implications for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. If teachers have lower
expectations for success in these children, they may spend less time encouraging and
interacting with them. This may result in a Pygmalion effect in the classroom.
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