The role of critical motivation in the development of altruistic behaviour in youth
The role of critical motivation in the development of altruistic behaviour in youth

Summary/Abstract: The main objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between critical motivation,altruism and peer caring as the moral foundation of social life. Although the direct relationshipbetween critical consciousness and prosocial involvement has for some time entered the realm ofeducational research, the mechanisms by which the components of critical consciousness influencebehaviour are not clearly defined. Therefore, we investigated the mediating role of the tendency toprotect others as a moral foundation in the relationship between critical motivation and altruisticbehaviour. The study involved 308 young people aged 18–24. Participants were recruited fromvarious urban high schools and universities, and invited to complete a set of questionnaires. Theresults emphasise the importance of critical motivation as a predictor of altruistic behaviour.Moreover, the data indicate that the tendency to protect others mediated the effects of criticalmotivation regarding altruistic behaviour. These results provide a clearer perspective on the processby which critical motivation can influence the behaviour and involvement of young people indifferent social contexts. The results emphasise especially the importance of developing andstimulating critical motivation in schools in order to increase the active involvement of young peoplein the current social context.

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