THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALTRUISM - TOWARD AN INTEGRATIVE MODEL

In this paper we introduce and evaluate an integrative model of the de velopment of altruism based on six propositions: (a) social cognition develops in a stage-like, additive-inclusive sequence; (b) forms of th ought and behavior are the products of dynamic person-situation intera ctions; (c) the stages identified by different cognitive-developmental theorists are based on isomorphic structures; (d) structurally isomor phic stages predispose people to corresponding forms of altruism; (e) later developing forms of altruism are more altruistic than earlier de veloping forms; and (f) the relations between stage-structures and alt ruism are mediated by cognitive and affective processes that have been linked empirically to prosocial behavior. We derive a hierarchy of al truistic behaviors from the aligned stages of social, ego, and moral d evelopment postulated by 10 theorists, compare it to the typologies of altruism derived by other theorists, and adduce evidence supporting t he expected relations between the forms of altruism in our hierarchy a nd (a) age, (b) stage of development, (c) self-attributions of altruis m, (d) situational factors, and (e) various cognitive and affective pr ocesses. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.