• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.615-625
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• 2021

The purpose of this study were to examine the effects of neighborhood and mass media experience on the prosocial behavior of children and to verify the mediating effect of empathy. For this purpose, 419 5th and 6th elementary students living in Chungbuk area were included in this study. The data were analysed using SPSS and the main results of this study are as follows: First, the levels of positive mass media experience, empathy, and prosocial behavior were significantly higher in girls than boys and children who perceive their economic status as high showed higher satisfaction on their community environment, empathy, and prosocial behavior than the others. Also, neighborhood and mass media experience had significant effects on the empathy and prosocial behavior of children. Especially positive mass media experience was the most powerful predictor of empathy and prosocial behavior. Finally, the satisfaction of their community and the positive mass media experience had direct effects on the prosocial behavior of children and had indirect effects through empathy. That is, the partial mediating effects of empathy were verified. Based on the results, several practical intervention strategies for improving empathy and prosocial behavior of children were presented.