FEATURES OF EMPATHY DEVELOPMENT IN PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

Abstract

The article examines the peculiarities of empathy development in primary school children as a key factor in the processes of socialization, moral development, and the formation of prosocial behavior. Empathy is considered not only as an individual psychological characteristic, but as a multidimensional phenomenon that integrates affective, cognitive, and behavioral components and determines a child’s ability to empathize, cooperate, and take moral responsibility. The particular relevance of the problem is due to contemporary sociocultural transformations, the spread of digital technologies, and the growing importance of interpersonal interaction in the school environment. The aim of the study is to comprehensively analyze the structural components of empathy, identify their age dynamics, and determine the socio-psychological conditions that promote or inhibit the development of empathy in primary school children. The research methodology is based on a combination of theoretical and empirical methods. The Interpersonal Reactivity Index (M. Davis) questionnaire in a child-friendly adaptation, the “Recognizing Emotions by Facial Expressions” technique, systematic observation in educational and play situations, and a questionnaire for parents about the emotional climate in the family were used. Statistical processing was carried out using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, Student’s t-test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), which ensured the comprehensiveness and reliability of the results obtained. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the systematization of modern ideas about the multidimensionality of empathy and the clarification of the features of the formation of its affective, cognitive, and behavioral components in primary school age. For the first time, a combination of stable affective empathy with a marked increase in the cognitive component and variability in behavioral manifestations, depending on the quality of the social environment and the level of children’s digital engagement, has been identified. The emphasis is on the ambivalent role of digital space, which can both promote the development of emotional sensitivity and reduce the level of direct emotional contact. Thus, the development of empathy in children of this age is a dynamic and multi-level process, determined by a combination of individual psychological characteristics and socio-pedagogical factors. The results confirm the importance of the family emotional climate, the style of pedagogical interaction, and peer support, and also indicate the need for targeted psychological and pedagogical programs. The practical significance of the work lies in the possibility of using its results to implement social and emotional learning programs, prevent bullying, and develop pedagogical strategies aimed at fostering tolerance, compassion, and moral responsibility in primary school children.