Helping One’s Neighbor: Teaching and Learning Prosocial Behavior in a Religious Community

The aim of this study was to describe and interpret the subjective theories that support the development, teaching, and learning of prosocial behavior in a Pentecostal Methodist church located in the Atacama Region (Chile). The study was descriptive-interpretative, with qualitative methodology and a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Religions (Basel, Switzerland ) Switzerland ), 2019-09, Vol.10 (9), p.515
Main Authors: Cuadra-Martínez, David, Sandoval-Díaz, José, Perez-Zapata, Daniel, Castro-Carrasco, Pablo, Véliz-Vergara, Douglas, Guzman-Ávalos, Javiera, Ramos-Thompson, Gabriel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Altruism
and learning
Behavior
Bible
Christianity
Community
Community research
development
Emotions
Learning
Methodological problems
Pentecostal Methodist church
Prosocial behavior
Religious communities
Religious identity
Social groups
Spirituality
Studies
subjective theories
Teaching
Transnationalism
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Summary:The aim of this study was to describe and interpret the subjective theories that support the development, teaching, and learning of prosocial behavior in a Pentecostal Methodist church located in the Atacama Region (Chile). The study was descriptive-interpretative, with qualitative methodology and a case study design. We worked with 140 church members, employing qualitative observation, episodic interviews, and discussion groups. The data were analyzed using 2 techniques: thematic coding and grounded theory. Results make it possible to describe (a) the context where prosociality is developed, taught, and learned, (b) the subjective meaning of helping behaviors, and (c) community members’ subjective theories about the development of teaching-learning. In the discussion, results are analyzed considering the available scientific evidence and the limitations of the present study. Also, new questions are presented which future research may explore to generate a formal theory about the development, teaching, and learning of prosocial behavior in community contexts.
ISSN:2077-1444
2077-1444
DOI:10.3390/rel10090515