Introduction

This research sought to explore the connection between children’s beliefs about human nature, and their involvement in prosocial behaviour. 

Following the work of Zhuojun Yao and Robert Enright, which highlighted a correlation between belief in human nature as altruistic and prosocial behaviour, this study investigates how these beliefs can be developed through education whereby changes in children's perspectives lead to prosocial self-efficacy, and in turn, prosocial behaviour.

Objectives

This research originally aimed to monitor shifts in individuals' attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour as a means of investigating whether sustained exposure to positive messages about human nature can be implemented as a method to encourage prosocial tendencies. However, unanticipated constraints, including a significantly shortened timeframe (from 3-4 weeks to just 7 days) and the absence of a participating control group, necessitated adjustments to the objectives.

Measuring changes in students' attitudes or behaviour over such a brief period proved unfeasible. Consequently, the objectives evolved to focus on evaluating the efficacy of the resources designed to convey positive ideas about human nature to students. While this shift limited the scope, it paves the way for future studies and offers valuable insights into potential avenues for fostering positive change.

Methodology 

The research process encompassed communication with the school, negotiation of a condensed time frame, administration of questionnaires to students, parents, and teachers, execution of multiple research sessions, resource adaptation to accommodate for time limitations, and supplementary data collection through interviews, conversations and worksheets from tasks. 

The intervention class was made up of 32 year five students. To help ensure internal validity, it was intended that a corresponding control group, made up of 30 students of the same year group, would also take part in answering questionnaires. However, some complications arose which prevented a second set of questionnaires from being completed by the control group. Sadly, this lead to a reliability concern regarding the data collected from questionnaires and thus they have not been included here. Parents of the classes were also asked to participate by filling in two sets of questions, pre- and post-research. A total of 28 of the first set were handed in (both classes) and 15 of the second set (intervention class only).

Results and discussion 

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Conclusion

The literature referenced in the introduction sheds light on the intricate connection between optimistic beliefs about human nature, particularly the belief in innate human altruism, and the profound influence of these convictions on an individual's personal prosocial attitudes and, by extension, their corresponding behaviours. This research set out to test means of cultivating prosocial behaviour within an educational context designed to nurture these attitudes and beliefs.

While 11 out of 15 parents reported that their child appeared more positive/optimistic, the study fell short of fully demonstrating the potential of these efforts, with only 5 out of 15 reporting a change in the behaviour of their child. Regrettably, the limitations imposed by the sample size, timeframe, and the absence of a control group hampered the precision and any possible generalisability of the findings. Consequently, this research alone cannot conclusively unveil the true extent of these methods and pathways for fostering prosocial self-efficacy and behavioural inclinations.

However, concerning the original research objectives, this small-scale inquiry did yield valuable insights, hinting at promising avenues that warrant further investigation.

Conversations with students further illuminated that learning about individuals who contribute positively to society can be inspirational, fostering a sense of self-efficacy even in children who stressed their awareness of the severity of challenges we face. Similarly, the discovery that others are effecting positive change appeared to kindle a sense of hopefulness in some children, igniting positive aspirations and, in some instances, a heightened sense of responsibility to make a difference.

This implies that the realisation that others are actively engaged in bettering the world may instil a sense of duty and responsibility among individuals to join these collective efforts, even if this wasn't an initial aspiration or intent. It suggests that the actions of others can motivate individuals to become part of a collective striving for change, once a picture of such a collective has been painted. Consequently, promoting awareness of these positive endeavours could serve as a catalyst for nurturing this sense of responsibility and duty, ultimately fostering prosocial behaviour.

This research underscores the significance of clear strategies and approaches aimed at fostering prosocial attitudes, not merely within young individuals, but in, and for, society as a whole. The study has initiated the development and testing of methods by which these concepts could be integrated into educational curricula, offering the potential to encourage prosocial dispositions in future generations. 

In a different vein, it was impossible to overlook the resounding reality of the profound levels of concern and anxiety harboured by children in relation to the environment and climate change, which was fiercely emphasised throughout this research. Results constantly revealed their persistent and genuine apprehension about the state of the world and its future. Their concern serves to emphasise just how crucial it is that we work to encourage an adoption of prosocial aspirations and behaviour, with this process of course requiring that we first determine the means most apt to achieve this goal.

Conclusively, this research aimed not only to explore the intricate interplay between children's altruistic beliefs and their engagement in prosocial behaviour, but also to encourage the latter by presenting a positive narrative surrounding human beings and our nature. Despite the challenges faced during implementation, the study reveals valuable insights into the potential for nurturing prosocial values within educational contexts. The resources developed show promise, especially when paying attention to the engagement of students, the feedback they offered, and the conversations they have participated in throughout the research and within interviews. The quantitative findings, while not fully reliable in the current study, could gain more significance with adjustments in research conditions and timeframe. The broader implications extend to education, policy, and the fostering of prosocial attitudes.