Abstract

Much of human learning comes from learning from others. In this article, I review empirical work on the extent to which prosocial behavior is inspired by exposure to prosocial models. In fact, witnessing a prosocial model in person leads to an increase in the future prosocial behavior of the observer. Other research has shown that exposure to media (TV, music, video games) with depictions of prosocial behavior can also lead to an increase in prosocial behavior. Theoretical explanations and underlying mechanisms of the prosocial modeling effect are discussed. As prosocial behavior seems to be contagious, exposure to prosocial models is an effective way to encourage positive social encounters.