The value-behavior relationships are evident in different contexts and age groups and include a wide range of behaviors (Benish-Weisman et al., 2022; Schwartz et al., 2010). However, much remains to be learned about the mechanism underlying these relationships. In our study, we introduce a possible socio-cognitive mechanism that may play an important role in this context, which involves kindergarten children’s social information processing and attitudes toward class acting as mediators between the children’s values orientations and their social behavior in kindergarten. Study participants included 121 children (59 girls; Mage = 67.45 months, SDage = 6.56 months). Children’s values were obtained via the Animated Values Instrument (Lee et al., 2017). Children’s values-oriented SIP patterns were measured using a new measure entitled The Social Information Processing and Values Interview (SIP-VI) which is based on The Social Information Processing Interview for Preschoolers (SIPI-P; see Ziv & Sorongon, 2011). Children’s attitudes toward class were examined using the Feeling About School scale (FAS; Valeski & Stipek, 2001). Lastly, children’s social behaviors were reported by teachers using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ, Goodman, 1997). As hypothesized, this study’s overall model fitted the data (NFI = .93, CFI = .98, RMSEA = .06, SRMR = .04; Kline, 2016). Specifically, children’s preferences of self-transcendence values over self-enhancement values were positively linked to their prosocial behaviors and negatively linked to their antisocial behaviors, and these associations were mediated by the children’s bias toward more self-transcendence-oriented SIP patterns (over self-enhancement-oriented SIP) and their subsequent more positive attitudes toward Kindergarten.

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