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Glite Dictionary
prosocial

prosocial

1 5.5
Doing things that help other people
  • adjective
  • /ˌproʊˈsoʊʃəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : prosociable
  • Volunteering at the local shelter is a prosocial action that helps the community.
  • prosocial behavior
  • prosocial skills
  • prosocial goals

And I didn't realize I might be able to do that until I started studying sociability or prosocial behaviors in mice.

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Examples

  • Scott reports that a positive relationship between empathy and prosocial behavior has been documented.

    Academic text (1990)

  • The warm, affectionate, and receptive attitudes of the Turkish parents help children to develop prosocial behaviors.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Our goal was to increase both prosocial and leadership skills.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Through this project, we discovered many strategies that are helpful in developing leadership and prosocial characteristics in children.

    Academic text (1991)

  • A prerequisite to leadership and prosocial skills is the ability to see events from the perspective of another.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Problem solving, imagination, and prosocial behaviors are aspects of leadership that can be learned in the early years.

    Academic text (1991)

  • The study results related to family variables revealed the significant effect of parental acceptance-rejection on prosocial behaviors.

    Academic text (2011)

  • A positive relationship is reported between peer relationships and prosocial behaviors (Findlay, Girardi, & Co-plan, 2006).

    Academic text (2011)

  • Children's positive interaction with adults and peers also improves their prosocial behaviors (Carpendale & Lewis, 2004).

    Academic text (2011)

  • Many children learn prosocial behaviors by sharing and cooperating with their peers.

Synonyms

charitable
vsprosocial
150 3.4

Showing kindness and being generous, especially by giving help or money to people in need

describes behaviors meant to benefit or assist other people
selfless
vsprosocial
72 3.2

Caring more about other people's needs than your own

highlights helpful acts intended to benefit other people
altruistic
vsprosocial
23 6.7

Wanting to help other people even when it costs you

emphasizes helping actions rather than the inner motive to help
philanthropic
vsprosocial
20 6.8

Wanting to help people by giving money to those in need

focuses on any helpful behavior, not only financial support
unselfish
vsprosocial
19 2.0

Willing to put other people's needs before your own

refers more generally to actions intended to help other people
beneficent
vsprosocial
  • Formal
4 7.8

Being kind and helping people by giving money or other help

describes behaviors intended to help other people
public-spirited
vsprosocial
1 4.6

Caring about people in the community and acting to help

applies to helping actions for any people, not only public interest
self-giving
vsprosocial
1 7.3

Ready to put other people's needs before your own and help them

covers helpful behaviors broadly, not only personal sacrifice

Antonyms

antisocial
17 6.9

Behaving in ways that harm other people or public property

How Prosocial

altruistic
23 6.7
prosocial
  • Specialized
1 5.5
helpful
689 1.0
kind
534 1.0

Surface Forms

prosocial positive

Morphology

prosocial = social (semi-transparent) = pro + social

The prefix 'pro-' meaning 'favoring or promoting' combines with 'social', but the established sense 'helping or benefiting others' is somewhat more specialized than a fully literal reading.

Etymology

Prosocial comes from the prefix pro- meaning 'for' and social meaning 'relating to people'. So, prosocial describes actions that are 'for' other people or for the good of the group, things done to help or benefit others.