The Role of Maternal Warmth in Understanding the Relations Between Cultural Orientations and Prosocial Behaviors in U.S. Mexican College Students

Prosocial behaviors are actions intended to benefit others, such as helping and sharing. Understanding the correlates of prosocial behaviors among U.S. Mexican college students can contribute to strength-based and asset models of positive development in these populations. Additionally, research is needed on the culture-specific mechanisms that might account for individual differences in prosocial behaviors among U.S. Mexicans. The goal of this study was to examine (a) the relations between U.S. Mexican college students’ cultural orientations (i.e., Mexican and U.S. cultural orientation) and six types of prosocial behaviors, (b) whether respect mediates these associations, and (c) whether maternal warmth moderates these associations. A total of 186 U.S. Mexican college students (Mage = 21.56 years; 78% female) participated in the research by completing an online survey. Results showed that higher Mexican cultural orientation was linked to higher respect, which, in turn, was linked to higher compliant, anonymous, and public, but lower altruistic, prosocial behaviors. Several direct links between cultural orientations and prosocial behaviors also emerged. Additionally, maternal warmth moderated some of these associations, and there are indirect relations between maternal warmth and some types of prosocial behaviors through respect. These findings highlight the understudied value of respect and add to the literature emphasizing a strength-based approach with U.S. Mexican college students.