School Social Climate, Social Behavior, and Social Competence Development: A Study on the Indirect Impact Pathways of Adolescents' Perspective‐Taking Ability in Schools

ABSTRACT The cultivation of perspective‐taking ability during adolescence is of significant importance. The school climate (belonging vs. discriminatory) exerts a potential indirect influence on the development of students' individual perspective‐taking abilities through school collaborative or competitive behaviors. This study further elucidates this indirect impact. This study employs structural equation modeling and PISA 2018 cross‐national data ( n = 288,322) to explore this indirect influence. (1) It reveals a positive relationship among belongingness, cooperative behavior, and perspective‐taking, underscoring the importance of fostering belongingness to enhance cooperation and perspective‐taking. Teachers can promote perspective‐taking by rewarding cooperative behaviors. (2) While competitive behaviors can increase willingness to engage in perspective‐taking, belongingness dampens competition, suggesting that moderate competition within a supportive climate may be beneficial. (3) Conversely, a discriminatory climate enhances perspective‐taking tendencies due to increased competition but significantly undermines cooperation, particularly affecting girls and students from affluent backgrounds. Educational administrators should prioritize mitigating discriminatory environments and cultivate positive school climates. Teachers should pay attention to the additional negative impact of discriminatory climates on girls.