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Cardozo Alarcón AC, Moreno Arenas N, Verjel Ávila KA, Trujillo Maza EM, Greniez Rodríguez C, Vargas Riaño OL, Suárez Acevedo DE. Early adversity and prosocial behavior in adolescents from Bogotá: a cross-sectional study. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2024; 18:81. [PMID: 38978030 PMCID: PMC11232159 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-024-00768-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The association between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), prosocial behavior, and depression (like other negative mental health outcomes) has not been thoroughly understood. This study aimed at evaluating their simultaneous association while controlling for key confounding variables. METHODS A cross-sectional study was carried-out with 2918 secondary school students from seven charter schools located in low-resourced neighborhoods in Bogota (Colombia), 54.12% were female, and mean age was 13.81 years. The self-report instrument included demographic variables, well-being, mental health, risk behaviors and symptoms of psychopathology. Assessment of ACEs was done by a series of yes/no questions, prosocial behavior was evaluated with the corresponding subscale in the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and depression was assessed with the Self-Reporting Questionnaire. Associations were tested using the Spearman correlation coefficient, Z tests and Chi-square tests, and all primary outcome analyses were adjusted for potential confounding variables through multivariate logistic regression using depression as outcome. RESULTS Mean exposure to ACEs was 3.15 events; those exposed to four or more obtained lower scores in well-being, satisfaction with life and family functioning, and higher scores in symptoms of psychopathology. For the prosocial behavior scores, 64.35% were classified as close to the average, 17.51% as slightly lowered, 11.91% as low, and 6.23% as very low; participants with higher levels of prosocial behavior showed lower scores in symptoms of psychopathology. While ACEs had a positive association with depressive symptoms (Odds Ratio [OR] 2.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.67-2.94), prosocial behavior did not have a significant association with either ACEs or depressive symptoms in multivariate regression models. CONCLUSIONS Novel studies should further elucidate the developmental pathways involving positive and negative mental health constructs to better understand the actual effectiveness of interventions that use these constructs in their design.
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Disabato DJ, Foust JL, Taber JM, Thompson CA, Sidney PG, Coifman KG. What drives preventative health behaviors one year into a pandemic? A replication and extension. Psychol Health 2024:1-24. [PMID: 38958065 DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2024.2372651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Objective: There is continued interest in understanding what leads people to engage in CDC-recommended COVID-19 prevention behaviors. We tested whether fear and COVID-19 worry would replicate as the primary drivers of six CDC recommended prevention behaviors. Methods and Measures: We recruited 741 adult participants during the second major peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States (early 2021). Using very similar methods to the original study, participants completed a 10-day daily diary. Mixed effects models identified the strongest predictors of each individual prevention behavior as well as approach and avoidance behavior clusters. Results: At the between-person level, COVID-19 worry, COVID-19 perceived susceptibility, fear, and positive emotions all had positive zero-order associations with the prevention behaviors. However, with all predictors in the same model together, primarily COVID-19 worry remained significant for both the individual behaviors and behavior clusters. At the within-person level, only fear related to assessing oneself for COVID-19 and approach behaviors on the same day, but not the next day. Mediational analyses suggested COVID-19 worry, but not COVID-19 susceptibility, mediated the links between fear and approach/avoidance behaviors. Conclusion: Findings replicated worry about yourself or a loved one getting COVID-19 as the strongest predictor of prevention behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Disabato
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Jeremy L Foust
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Jennifer M Taber
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | | | - Pooja G Sidney
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Karin G Coifman
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
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Curzel F, Osiurak F, Trân E, Tillmann B, Ripollés P, Ferreri L. Enhancing musical pleasure through shared musical experience. iScience 2024; 27:109964. [PMID: 38832017 PMCID: PMC11145343 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Music and social interactions represent two of the most important sources of pleasure in our lives, both engaging the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. However, there is limited understanding regarding whether and how sharing a musical activity in a social context influences and modifies individuals' rewarding experiences. Here, we aimed at (1) modulating the pleasure derived from music under different social scenarios and (2) further investigating its impact on reward-related prosocial behavior and memory. Across three online experiments, we simulated a socially shared music listening and found that participants' music reward was significantly modulated by the social context, with higher reported pleasure for greater levels of social sharing. Furthermore, the increased pleasure reported by the participants positively influenced prosocial behavior and memory outcomes, highlighting the facilitating role of socially boosted reward. These findings provide evidence about the rewarding nature of socially driven music experiences, with important potential implications in educational and clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Curzel
- Laboratoire d’Étude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EMC), Université Lumière Lyon 2, 69500 Bron, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), INSERM, U1028, CNRS, UMR 5292, Université Claude Bernard Lyon1, Université de Lyon, 69500 Bron, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
| | - François Osiurak
- Laboratoire d’Étude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EMC), Université Lumière Lyon 2, 69500 Bron, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, 75005 Paris, Île-de-France, France
| | - Eléonore Trân
- Laboratoire d’Étude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EMC), Université Lumière Lyon 2, 69500 Bron, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
| | - Barbara Tillmann
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), INSERM, U1028, CNRS, UMR 5292, Université Claude Bernard Lyon1, Université de Lyon, 69500 Bron, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
- LEAD CNRS UMR5022, Université de Bourgogne-Franche Comté, 21000 Dijon, Bourgogne-Franche Comté, France
| | - Pablo Ripollés
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
- Music and Audio Research Laboratory (MARL), New York University, New York, NY 11201, USA
- Center for Language, Music, and Emotion (CLaME), New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Laura Ferreri
- Laboratoire d’Étude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EMC), Université Lumière Lyon 2, 69500 Bron, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, Università di Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Lombardia, Italy
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Gibhardt S, Hepach R, Henderson AME. Observing prosociality and talent: the emotional characteristics and behavioral outcomes of elevation and admiration in 6.5- to 8.5-year-old children. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1392331. [PMID: 38855306 PMCID: PMC11160138 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1392331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Helping and seeing others being helped elicits positive emotions in young children but little is known about the nature of these emotions, especially in middle childhood. Here we examined the specific emotional characteristics and behavioral outcomes of two closely related other-praising moral emotions: elevation and admiration. We exposed 182 6.5- to 8.5-year-old children living in New Zealand, to an elevation- and admiration-inducing video clip. Afterwards children's emotion experiences and prosocial behaviour was measured. Findings revealed higher levels of happiness, care, and warmth after seeing prosociality in others (elevation condition) and higher levels of upliftment after seeing talent in others (admiration condition). We found no differences in prosocial behavior between the elevation and admiration conditions. This is the first study to assess elevation in childhood and offers a novel paradigm to investigate the role of moral emotions as potential motivators underlying helping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Gibhardt
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Faculty of Education, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Robert Hepach
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Chai Q, Yin J, Shen M, He J. Act generously when others do so: Majority influence on young children's sharing behavior. Dev Sci 2024; 27:e13472. [PMID: 38197517 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Children's sharing behavior is profoundly shaped by social norms within their society, and they can learn these norms by directly observing how most others share in their immediate environment. Here we systematically investigated the impact of majority influence on the sharing behavior of young Chinese children through three studies (N = 336, 168 girls). Four- and 6-year-olds were allowed to choose 10 favorite stickers and had an opportunity to engage in anonymous sharing. Before making the sharing decision, children were assigned to one of two conditions: watching a video in which three peers all shared 8 out of 10 stickers (i.e., the majority sharing condition) or making their decisions without watching the video (i.e., the control condition). Results showed that both the 4- and 6-year-old children shared more stickers in the majority sharing condition than in the control condition (Studies 1 & 2). Moreover, the influence of the majority had a stronger effect compared to the influence of a single role model. Children shared more stickers after observing three peers sharing, compared to watching one peer sharing three times (Study 2). Furthermore, children were less likely to copy the majority's non-sharing behavior when it came to giving away stickers without prosocial outcomes, which was particularly evident among 4-year-olds (Study 3). The results reveal that majority influence uniquely shapes children's sharing behavior and that children selectively follow the majority based on whether the behavior exhibits prosocial attributes. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at https://youtu.be/8qNNhf9754I?si=7YfpaFpcD_IjlXjJ RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Observing a majority of three peers' unanimous generous sharing promoted sharing behavior in both 4- and 6-year-olds. The influence of three peers on children's sharing was stronger than that of one peer sharing three times. Four-year-olds, but not 6-year-olds, did not copy the non-sharing behavior of the majority as it did not lead to prosocial outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao Chai
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun Yin
- Department of Psychology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Mowei Shen
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie He
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Rose H, Sanders CA, Willett C, King LA. Target Happiness Attenuates Perceivers' Moral Condemnation of Prejudiced People. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2024:1461672241240160. [PMID: 38661132 DOI: 10.1177/01461672241240160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Five experiments (combined N = 4,915) tested the prediction that the moral boost of happiness would persist for social targets with moral failings. In Studies 1 and 2, White and Black participants, respectively, judged happy (versus unhappy) racist targets more morally good. In Study 3, happy (versus unhappy) racist targets were judged more morally good and less (more) likely to engage in racist (good) behavior. Behavioral expectations explained the link between happiness and moral evaluations. Study 4 replicated Studies 1 to 3 in the context of sexism. In Study 5, happy (versus unhappy) targets who engaged in racially biased behavior were evaluated as more morally good, and this effect was explained by behavioral forecasts. Happiness boosts attributions of moral goodness for prejudiced people and does so via expectations for future behavior. Future directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hope Rose
- University of Missouri, Columbia, USA
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Luo X, Yu T, Tan M, Zhong Y. Impact of Empathic Concern on Prosocial Behavior in Gain and Loss Contexts: Evidence from Event-Related Potential. Brain Sci 2024; 14:400. [PMID: 38672049 PMCID: PMC11047841 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14040400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This study employs event-related potential (ERP) to examine the impact of empathic concern on prosocial decision-making with costs in both gain and loss contexts. In this experiment, participants can choose between two types of lottery tickets and pay lottery money to help the target person gain more money or lose less money. The behavioral results showed that regardless of the context of the decision (financial loss or gain), participants tended to help individuals who had induced high empathic concern. ERP results show that compared to the low-empathic-concern condition, the high-empathic-concern condition induced greater P3 amplitude in the gain context. However, this change in P3 amplitude caused by empathic concern did not occur in the context of loss. These findings indicate that empathic concern has different psychological mechanisms that moderate prosocial behavior in gain and loss contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Luo
- Department of Psychology, School of Education Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China; (X.L.); (M.T.)
- School of Physics and Chemistry, Hunan First Normal University, Changsha 410205, China
- Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha 410081, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory for Children’s Psychological Development and Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Changsha 410205, China
| | - Taowen Yu
- Department of Psychology, Changsha Normal University, Changsha 410100, China;
| | - Min Tan
- Department of Psychology, School of Education Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China; (X.L.); (M.T.)
- Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Yiping Zhong
- Department of Psychology, School of Education Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China; (X.L.); (M.T.)
- Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Changsha 410081, China
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Torres SC, Gracia Laso DI, Minissi ME, Maddalon L, Chicchi Giglioli IA, Alcañiz M. Social Signal Processing in Affective Virtual Reality: Human-Shaped Agents Increase Electrodermal Activity in an Elicited Negative Environment. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:268-274. [PMID: 38394167 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.0273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Prior research on affect elicitation indicates that stimuli with social content (pictures or videos) are more arousing than nonsocial stimuli. In particular, they elicit stronger physiological arousal as measured by electrodermal activity (EDA; i.e., social EDA effect). However, it is unclear how this effect applies to virtual reality (VR), which enables an enhanced sense of presence (SoP) and ecological validity. The study here approached this question from a social-emotional VR framework. A sample of N = 72 participants (55 percent women) experienced a set of six virtual environments (VEs) in the form of emotional parks specifically designed to elicit positive, negative, or neutral affectivity. Half of these VEs included human-shaped agents (social context) and the other half omitted these agents (nonsocial context). The results supported the social EDA effect, which in addition was amplified by the reported SoP. Importantly, the VE featuring a social negative content qualified this observed social EDA effect. The finding is discussed in the light of a negativity bias reported in affect literature, through which negative stimuli typically mobilize attention and bodily activation as a mechanism linked to stress responses. The study's implications extend to the use of VR in both research and practical applications, emphasizing the role of social content in influencing affective and physiological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio C Torres
- European Laboratory of Immersive Neurotechnologies (LabLENI), Human-Centred Technology Research Institute (HUMAN-Tech), Polytechnic University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Desirée I Gracia Laso
- European Laboratory of Immersive Neurotechnologies (LabLENI), Human-Centred Technology Research Institute (HUMAN-Tech), Polytechnic University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria Eleonora Minissi
- European Laboratory of Immersive Neurotechnologies (LabLENI), Human-Centred Technology Research Institute (HUMAN-Tech), Polytechnic University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Luna Maddalon
- European Laboratory of Immersive Neurotechnologies (LabLENI), Human-Centred Technology Research Institute (HUMAN-Tech), Polytechnic University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Irene Alice Chicchi Giglioli
- European Laboratory of Immersive Neurotechnologies (LabLENI), Human-Centred Technology Research Institute (HUMAN-Tech), Polytechnic University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mariano Alcañiz
- European Laboratory of Immersive Neurotechnologies (LabLENI), Human-Centred Technology Research Institute (HUMAN-Tech), Polytechnic University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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Chu M, Fang Z, Mao L, Ma H, Lee CY, Chiang YC. Creating A child-friendly social environment for fewer conduct problems and more prosocial behaviors among children: A LASSO regression approach. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2024; 244:104200. [PMID: 38447485 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Creating a child-friendly social environment is an important component of promoting child-friendly city development. This study aims to explore the key indicators of friendly family, school and community social environments from the perspective of children's conduct problems and prosocial behaviors. METHOD The sample included grade 3-5 students from one public elementary school in the urban areas and another public elementary school in the rural areas of a Chinese city pursuing a child-friendly philosophy. A total of 418 participants were included in this study. Data on conduct problems, prosocial behaviors and the social environment were collected. To effectively select important variables and eliminate estimation bias, this study used LASSO regression to identify key indicators predicting children's conduct problems and prosocial behavior, followed by linear regression coefficient estimation and significance testing. RESULTS Creating a friendly family environment (ensuring family members' assistance with academic problems) and school environment (reducing cheating, fighting, and unfriendly teacher language) was associated with reduced conduct problems in children. Creating a positive family atmosphere (enhancing children's trust in family members), school environment (increasing parents' awareness of school affairs, reinforcing students' prosocial behavior, increasing extracurricular activity programs, and encouraging student engagement in academics) and community environment (respecting all children in the community) was associated with improving children's prosocial behavior. CONCLUSIONS This study transforms the multidimensional, complex child-friendly social environment evaluation indicator system into concise and specific measurement indicators, which can provide theoretical and practical implications for government decision-making in child-friendly city development through empirical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meijie Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen, China
| | - Zhiwei Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen, China
| | - Li Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen, China
| | - Honghao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen, China
| | - Chun-Yang Lee
- School of International Business, Xiamen University Tan Kah Kee College, Zhangzhou, China.
| | - Yi-Chen Chiang
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen, China.
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Bhatt KV, Weissman CR. The effect of psilocybin on empathy and prosocial behavior: a proposed mechanism for enduring antidepressant effects. NPJ MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2024; 3:7. [PMID: 38609500 PMCID: PMC10955966 DOI: 10.1038/s44184-023-00053-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Psilocybin is a serotonergic psychedelic shown to have enduring antidepressant effects. Currently, the mechanism for its enduring effects is not well understood. Empathy and prosocial behavior may be important for understanding the therapeutic benefit of psilocybin. In this article we review the effect of psilocybin on empathy and prosocial behavior. Moreover, we propose that psilocybin may induce a positive feedback loop involving empathy and prosocial behavior which helps explain the observed, enduring antidepressant effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kush V Bhatt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Cory R Weissman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Mayr U, Rohovit T, Freund AM. Increases in prosociality across adulthood: The pure-altruism hypothesis. Curr Opin Psychol 2024; 55:101782. [PMID: 38160572 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
A growing body of research suggests that prosocial behavior increases across adulthood. Yet, whether these age differences reflect "pure altruistic" or selfish motives, or the developmental mechanisms that underlie them, are largely unknown. Within a value-based decision framework, pure altruistic tendencies can be measured and distinguished from impure altruistic motives through neural-level information. Indeed, age differences in donations appear to be driven by a genuine concern for the well-being of others. Candidate mechanisms behind such pure altruistic changes need to show documented age differences and evidence of causal links to prosocial behavior. As examples, we discuss how three factors that meet these criteria--social norms, mood, and cognitive functioning--might explain age differences in pure altruistic tendencies.
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12
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Qiu T, Wang S, Hu D, Feng N, Cui L. Predicting Risk of Bullying Victimization among Primary and Secondary School Students: Based on a Machine Learning Model. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:73. [PMID: 38275356 PMCID: PMC10813723 DOI: 10.3390/bs14010073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
School bullying among primary and secondary school students has received increasing attention, and identifying relevant factors is a crucial way to reduce the risk of bullying victimization. Machine learning methods can help researchers predict and identify individual risk behaviors. Through a machine learning approach (i.e., the gradient boosting decision tree model, GBDT), the present longitudinal study aims to systematically examine individual, family, and school environment factors that can predict the risk of bullying victimization among primary and secondary school students a year later. A total of 2767 participants (2065 secondary school students, 702 primary school students, 55.20% female students, mean age at T1 was 12.22) completed measures of 24 predictors at the first wave, including individual factors (e.g., self-control, gender, grade), family factors (family cohesion, parental control, parenting style), peer factor (peer relationship), and school factors (teacher-student relationship, learning capacity). A year later (i.e., T2), they completed the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire. The GBDT model predicted whether primary and secondary school students would be exposed to school bullying after one year by training a series of base learners and outputting the importance ranking of predictors. The GBDT model performed well. The GBDT model yielded the top 6 predictors: teacher-student relationship, peer relationship, family cohesion, negative affect, anxiety, and denying parenting style. The protective factors (i.e., teacher-student relationship, peer relationship, and family cohesion) and risk factors (i.e., negative affect, anxiety, and denying parenting style) associated with the risk of bullying victimization a year later among primary and secondary school students are identified by using a machine learning approach. The GBDT model can be used as a tool to predict the future risk of bullying victimization for children and adolescents and to help improve the effectiveness of school bullying interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Qiu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China;
| | - Sizhe Wang
- School of Statistics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China;
| | - Di Hu
- Sliver School of Social Work, New York University, New York, NY 10012, USA;
| | - Ningning Feng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China;
- Shanghai Centre for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Lijuan Cui
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China;
- Shanghai Centre for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai 200062, China
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13
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Lacerda KCD, Souza FCDO, Araújo CRV, Mota BEF, Muñoz PMG, Berger W, Vilete L, Bearzoti E, Guerra Leal Souza G. High depressive symptomatology reduces emotional reactions to pictures of social interaction. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1266. [PMID: 38219004 PMCID: PMC10787838 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51813-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Individuals with severe depressive symptoms present diminished facial expressions compared to healthy individuals. This reduced facial expression, which occurs in most depressive patients could impair social relationships. The current study sought to investigate whether pictures with social interaction cues could elicit different modulations of facial expressions and mood states in individuals with depressive symptoms compared to healthy individuals. A total of 85 individuals were divided into depressive and non-depressive groups based on their beck depression inventory scores. Participants viewed pictures containing neutral (objects), affiliative (people interacting socially), and control (people not interacting) scenes. Electromyographic signals were collected during the entire period of visualization of the blocks, and emotional questionnaires were evaluated after each block to assess sociability and altruism (prosocial states). In non-depressed individuals, affiliative pictures increased the activity of the zygomatic muscle compared to both neutral and control pictures and reduced fear of rejection compared to neutral pictures. During the visualization of the affiliative block, zygomatic major muscle activation was higher and fear of rejection was lower in the non-depressive individuals than in the depressive. These effects reflected the low expressions of smiling and sociability to affiliative pictures in depressive individuals. These findings highlight the importance of smiling and prosocial states in social interactions, especially in these individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kíssyla Christine Duarte Lacerda
- Laboratory of Psychophysiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, 35400000, Brazil
| | | | - Cassia Regina Vieira Araújo
- Laboratory of Psychophysiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, 35400000, Brazil
| | - Bruna Eugênia Ferreira Mota
- Laboratory of Psychophysiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, 35400000, Brazil
- School of Nutrition, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, 35400000, Brazil
| | | | - Willian Berger
- Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22290-140, Brazil
| | - Liliane Vilete
- Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22290-140, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Bearzoti
- Department of Statistics, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, 35400000, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Guerra Leal Souza
- Laboratory of Psychophysiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, 35400000, Brazil.
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14
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Lv J, Shen Y, Huang Z, Zhang C, Meijiu J, Zhang H. Watching eyes effect: the impact of imagined eyes on prosocial behavior and satisfactions in the dictator game. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1292232. [PMID: 38268799 PMCID: PMC10806148 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1292232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The concept of the watching eyes effect suggests that the presence of eye or eye-like cues can influence individual altruistic behavior. However, few studies have investigated the effects of imagined eyes on altruistic behaviors and the psychological measures of dictators and recipients in the dictator game. This study used a 2 (Presentation Mode: Imagined/Visual) 2 (Cue Type: Eye/Flower) between-subject design and measured the effects of recipients' psychological variables and the communication texts between the dictator and the recipient. The results showed that there was a significant interaction between Presentation Mode and Cue Type. In the imagined condition, the dictator exhibited more altruistic behavior than in the visual condition. However, there was no significant difference in altruistic behavior between the Imagined Eye and Imagined Flower conditions. In addition, the study found that the Cue Type had a significant main effect on the recipients' satisfaction with the allocation outcome. Notably, in the Visual Flower condition, the dictator used more egoistic norm words when communicating with the recipient than other conditions. This study provides novel evidence on the effect of imagined social cues on individual behavior in the dictator game, and to some extent validates the robustness of the watching eyes effect under manipulation of higher-level verbal cognitive processes. At the same time, the study is the first to explore the impacts on recipients' psychological variables and the communication texts. These efforts offer new insights into the psychological and cognitive mechanisms underlying the watching eyes effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieyu Lv
- Department of Psychology, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China
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15
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Ocampo J, Keltner D. Dispositional compassion shifts social preferences in systematic ways. J Pers 2023. [PMID: 38111088 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION How people attach value to the outcomes of self and other-social preferences-is central to social behavior. Recently, how dispositional and state emotion shape such social preferences has received researchers' attention. METHOD The present investigation asked whether and to what extent dispositional and state compassion predict shifts in social preferences across 4 samples: two correlational samples (final ns 153 & 368, study 1a and 1b) and two experimental samples (final ns: 430 & 530, studies 2 and 3). RESULTS In keeping with recent accounts of compassion, dispositional compassion predicted general preference for equality, expressed as dispreference for both monetary advantage over another (interaction βs = -0.36, -0.33, -0.25, -0.22; all p < 0.001) and monetary disadvantage relative to others (βs: 0.26, 0.27, 0.28, 0.17; all p < 0.01; positive coefficients imply dispreference). This dispositional effect persisted when controlling for prosociality, positivity, agreeableness, and respectfulness. Furthermore, these dispositional compassion effects were relatively unchanged by experimental emotion inductions in studies 3 and 4. The experimental inductions of state compassion and state pride showed little evidence of systematic effects on social preferences relative to each other or a neutral condition. DISCUSSION Discussion focused on individual differences in emotion and social preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Ocampo
- Department of Psychology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Dacher Keltner
- Department of Psychology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
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16
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Gaspar JP, Methasani R. Laughter and lies: Unraveling the intricacies of humor and deception. Curr Opin Psychol 2023; 54:101707. [PMID: 37949011 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Deception and humor are ubiquitous in interpersonal interactions and intricately interrelated. In this article, we review and integrate prior research on humor and deception and propose a theoretical model - the Interpersonal Humor Deception Model (IHDM) - to understand the interpersonal effects of humor on deception. We argue that humor can both promote and curtail the use of deception, as well as influence the detection of deception and responses to detected deception (retraction, retaliation, and the restoration of trust). The specific effects of humor depend on whether it is successful or unsuccessful. In all, our article provides a theoretical framework to guide research on humor and deception and offers important insights into the costs and benefits of humor in negotiations, organizations, and everyday life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph P Gaspar
- School of Business, Quinnipiac University, 275 Mt. Carmel Ave, Hamden, CT, 06518, USA.
| | - Redona Methasani
- Redona Methasani, School of Business, University of Connecticut, 1 University Place, Stamford, CT 06901, USA
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17
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Cho H, Lee HW, Kim T. Volunteers' growth mindset and continuance intention: what are the roles of nostalgia and positive emotions? Front Psychol 2023; 14:1169221. [PMID: 38023056 PMCID: PMC10659098 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1169221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
This study examined the cognitive and affective aspects of volunteering experiences by focusing on the relationships between volunteers' growth mindset, nostalgia, positive emotions, and their intention to continue volunteering. A total of 364 responses were collected from volunteers who had volunteered within the past 5 years. Results showed that the growth mindset had a positive effect on nostalgia, which in turn positively affected valenced emotions toward volunteering. Nostalgia and volunteers' positive emotions positively influenced their intention to continue volunteering. All indirect effects via nostalgia were significant. This study lays the groundwork to identify the role of nostalgia in volunteerism and contributes to extending the literature on growth mindset and mindset theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heetae Cho
- Department of Sport Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Physical Education and Sports Science, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hyun-Woo Lee
- Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Taehee Kim
- Department of Sport Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
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18
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Ng HKS, Cheung SH. Too hot to help or too cold to care? On the links between ambient temperature, volunteerism, and civic engagement. Br J Psychol 2023; 114:945-968. [PMID: 37309918 DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the relationship between ambient temperature and prosocial behaviour in real-life settings. It was guided by two mechanisms of opposite predictions, namely (1) higher temperatures decrease prosociality by harming well-being, and (2) higher temperatures increase prosociality by promoting the embodied cognition of social warmth. In Study 1, U.S. state-level time-series data (2002-2015) supported the first mechanism, with higher temperatures predicting lower volunteer rates through lower well-being. Study 2 furthered the investigation by probing the relationship between neighbourhood temperature and civic engagement of 2268 U.S. citizens. The data partially supported the well-being mechanism and reported findings contradictory to the social embodiment mechanism. Higher temperatures predicted lower interpersonal trust and subsequently lower civic engagement. The unexpected finding hinted at a cognitive effect of heat and a compensatory mechanism in social thermoregulation. We discussed the findings regarding their methodological strengths and weaknesses, with cautions made on ecological fallacies and alternative models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Kin Shing Ng
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Sing-Hang Cheung
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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19
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Ferguson E, Lawrence C, Bowen S, Gemelli CN, Rozsa A, Niekrasz K, van Dongen A, Williams LA, Thijsen A, Guerin N, Masser B, Davison TE. Warming up cool cooperators. Nat Hum Behav 2023; 7:1917-1932. [PMID: 37710031 PMCID: PMC10663147 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01687-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Explaining why someone repeats high-cost cooperation towards non-reciprocating strangers is difficult. Warm glow offers an explanation. We argue that warm glow, as a mechanism to sustain long-term cooperation, cools off over time but can be warmed up with a simple intervention message. We tested our predictions in the context of repeat voluntary blood donation (high-cost helping of a non-reciprocating stranger) across 6 studies: a field-based experiment (n = 5,821) comparing warm-glow and impure-altruism messages; an implementation study comparing a 3-yr pre-implementation period among all first-time donors in Australia (N = 270,353) with a 2-yr post-implementation period (N = 170, 317); and 4 studies (n = 716, 1,124, 932, 1,592) exploring mechanisms. We show that there are relatively warm and cool cooperators, not cooling cooperators. Cooperation among cool cooperators is enhanced by a warm-glow-plus-identity message. Furthermore, the behavioural facilitation of future cooperation, by booking an appointment, is associated with being a warm cooperator. Societal implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eamonn Ferguson
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Donor Health and Behaviour, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | | | - Sarah Bowen
- School of Economics, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Carley N Gemelli
- Clinical Services and Research, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Amy Rozsa
- Corporate Strategy and Transformation, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Konrad Niekrasz
- Corporate Strategy and Transformation, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anne van Dongen
- Department of Psychology, Health, and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Lisa A Williams
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Amanda Thijsen
- Clinical Services and Research, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nicola Guerin
- Clinical Services and Research, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Barbara Masser
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Donor Health and Behaviour, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Clinical Services and Research, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tanya E Davison
- Clinical Services and Research, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Art, Design, and Architecture, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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20
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Piko BF, Dudok R. Strengths and Difficulties among Adolescent with and without Specific Learning Disorders (SLD). CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1741. [PMID: 38002832 PMCID: PMC10670760 DOI: 10.3390/children10111741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) have become a major concern in modern societies. It is essential to detect their emotional, behavioral and social consequences as early as childhood. The aim of this study is to examine a set of strengths and difficulties and compare them between students with and without SLD. Participants in this study were adolescents aged 11-18 years from Budapest and villages of its Metropolitan area (Hungary) (N = 276, mean age = 13.6 years, SD = 1.8, 54.7% boys). Due to multistage sampling, a nearly equal number of students had SLD or not. In addition to sociodemographics, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Satisfaction With Life Scale and the Proactive Coping Inventory were included in the survey, and t-test, correlation and logistic regression analysis were applied in statistical analyses. Our findings suggest that in early adolescence (ages 11-14 years), conduct and peer problems, in late adolescence (ages 15-18 years), emotional problems, highlighted SLD. In terms of strengths, prosocial behavior in children with SLD may compensate difficulties, especially at a younger age. Students from lower SES families and those having parents with a lower educational level are more likely to have a diagnosis of SLD. Teachers and special educators should take care of improving the adolescents' prosociality, social and coping skills and listening to emotional, conduct and peer problems in those with SLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina F. Piko
- Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Szeged, 6722 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Réka Dudok
- Doctoral School of Education, University of Szeged, 6722 Szeged, Hungary;
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21
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Xiong Y, Chen J, Yang L, Guo X, Ren P. Does Being Prosocial Pay Off? Testing Positive Developmental Cascades of Prosocial Behavior, Social Preference, and Subjective Well-Being in Chinese Adolescents. J Youth Adolesc 2023:10.1007/s10964-023-01809-3. [PMID: 37369927 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-023-01809-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Positive aspects of adolescent development recently have raised researchers' interests; however, studies examining reciprocal links between prosocial behavior, social preference, and subjective well-being are lacking. The present longitudinal study investigated the bidirectional relations between prosocial behavior, social preference, and subjective well-being within a theoretical framework of the developmental cascade model. A total of 1248 Chinese adolescents (M = 13.44, SD = 0.65; 47.0% girls) were surveyed across three waves with 6-month intervals. The results of analyses utilizing the random-intercept cross-lagged panel model demonstrated that prosocial behavior was positively associated with both social preference and subjective well-being, and social preference was not associated with subjective well-being at the between-person level. At the within-person level, prosocial behavior was positively reciprocally associated with social preference, while no significant relations between prosocial behavior and subjective well-being and between social preference and subjective well-being were found. The findings highlight adolescents' prosocial behavior and social preference could mutually facilitate each other over time, which can be used to guide adolescents' positive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuke Xiong
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Jiahui Chen
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Liu Yang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xiaolin Guo
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Ping Ren
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China.
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22
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Riddell C, Kret M, Zijlstra T, Nikolic M. Fearful apes, happy apes: Is fearfulness associated with uniquely human cooperation? Behav Brain Sci 2023; 46:e76. [PMID: 37154364 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x22001911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
In the fearful ape hypothesis, Grossmann argues that heightened fearfulness increases human-unique cooperation. We suggest that this conclusion, however, may be premature. In particular, we question Grossmann's singling out of fear as the affective trait that enhances cooperative care. Additionally, we problematize the extent to which heightened fearfulness in humans, and its association with human-unique cooperation, are supported empirically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Riddell
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Leiden University, 2333AK Leiden, the ; https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/chris-riddell ; https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/mariska-kret ; https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/tonko-zijlstra
| | - Mariska Kret
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Leiden University, 2333AK Leiden, the ; https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/chris-riddell ; https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/mariska-kret ; https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/tonko-zijlstra
| | - Tonko Zijlstra
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Leiden University, 2333AK Leiden, the ; https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/chris-riddell ; https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/mariska-kret ; https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/tonko-zijlstra
| | - Milica Nikolic
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, 1018 WS Amsterdam, The Netherlands ; https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/n/i/m.nikolic/m.nikolic.html
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23
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Reinilä E, Kekäläinen T, Saajanaho M, Kokko K. The structure of mental well-being and its relationship with generativity in middle adulthood and the beginning of late adulthood. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT 2023. [DOI: 10.1177/01650254231165837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have linked higher generativity with better mental well-being. However, most of these studies investigated the predictive role of generativity in well-being, while the converse relation, that is, how mental well-being contributes to generativity, has been ignored. This study first investigated the structure and stability of multidimensional mental well-being, that is, emotional (including happiness, life satisfaction, and positive and negative mood), psychological, and social well-being and the absence of depressive feelings, from age 42 to 61. Second, longitudinal associations between mental well-being and generativity were examined. The data ( n = 301) utilized in this study were drawn from the Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Development and were collected using self-report questionnaires and psychological interviews at the ages of 42, 50, and 61. Using structural equation modeling, the multidimensional structure of mental well-being showed partial strong factorial invariance and high stability from age 42 to 61. The associations between mental well-being (both the multidimensional factor and the single indicators) and generativity were tested using the random intercept cross-lagged panel model. Stable, trait-like associations were found between multidimensional, emotional, and psychological well-being and generativity. The longitudinal results showed that social well-being at age 42 predicted generativity at age 50. To conclude, multidimensional mental well-being seemed to remain stable from middle adulthood to the beginning of late adulthood. Furthermore, mental well-being and generativity may be linked at both the between- and within-person levels. In particular, social well-being appeared to be a resource through which individuals could increase their generativity.
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24
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Proulx JDE, Van de Vondervoort JW, Hamlin JK, Helliwell JF, Aknin LB. Are Real-World Prosociality Programs Associated with Greater Psychological Well-Being in Primary School-Aged Children? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4403. [PMID: 36901411 PMCID: PMC10002419 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Quality education can build a sustainable, happier world, but what experiences support student well-being? Numerous laboratory studies suggest that prosocial behavior predicts greater psychological well-being. However, relatively little work has examined whether real-world prosociality programs are associated with greater well-being in primary school-aged children (aged 5-12). In Study 1, we surveyed 24/25 students who completed their 6th Grade curriculum in a long-term care home alongside residents called "Elders," which offered numerous opportunities for planned and spontaneous helping. We found that the meaning that students derived from their prosocial interactions with the Elders was strongly associated with greater psychological well-being. In Study 2, we conducted a pre-registered field experiment with 238 primary school-aged children randomly assigned to package essential items for children who experience homelessness and/or poverty who were either demographically similar or dissimilar in age and/or gender to them as part of a classroom outing. Children self-reported their happiness both pre- and post-intervention. While happiness increased from pre- to post-intervention, this change did not differ for children who helped a similar or dissimilar recipient. These studies offer real-world evidence consistent with the possibility that engaging in prosocial classroom activities-over an afternoon or year-is associated with greater psychological well-being in primary school-aged children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason D. E. Proulx
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | | | - J. Kiley Hamlin
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - John F. Helliwell
- Vancouver School of Economics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1L4, Canada
| | - Lara B. Aknin
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
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25
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Fast AA, Ravi S, Olson KR. When it is better to give than to receive: Children's giving and happiness. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/sode.12671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anne A. Fast
- Department of Psychology University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
- Department of Psychology Western Washington University Bellingham Washington USA
| | - Sanjana Ravi
- Department of Psychology University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
- Department of Psychology & Human Development Vanderbilt University Nashville Tennessee USA
| | - Kristina R. Olson
- Department of Psychology University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
- Department of Psychology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey USA
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26
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Stamkou E, Brummelman E, Dunham R, Nikolic M, Keltner D. Awe Sparks Prosociality in Children. Psychol Sci 2023; 34:455-467. [PMID: 36745740 DOI: 10.1177/09567976221150616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Rooted in the novel and the mysterious, awe is a common experience in childhood, but research is almost silent with respect to the import of this emotion for children. Awe makes individuals feel small, thereby shifting their attention to the social world. Here, we studied the effects of art-elicited awe on children's prosocial behavior toward an out-group and its unique physiological correlates. In two preregistered studies (Study 1: N = 159, Study 2: N = 353), children between 8 and 13 years old viewed movie clips that elicited awe, joy, or a neutral (control) response. Children who watched the awe-eliciting clip were more likely to spend their time on an effortful task (Study 1) and to donate their experimental earnings (Studies 1 and 2), all toward benefiting refugees. They also exhibited increased respiratory sinus arrhythmia, an index of parasympathetic nervous system activation associated with social engagement. We discuss implications for fostering prosociality by reimagining children's environments to inspire awe at a critical age.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eddie Brummelman
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam
| | - Rohan Dunham
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam
| | - Milica Nikolic
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam
| | - Dacher Keltner
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley
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27
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From virtual to prosocial reality: The effects of prosocial virtual reality games on preschool Children's prosocial tendencies in real life environments. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2022.107546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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28
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Ciziceno M. People's wellbeing, civic capital and sustainable practices: Evidence from the European Values Study survey. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2023; 7:1048397. [PMID: 36687018 PMCID: PMC9846817 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2022.1048397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The climate change issue is showing an unprecedented level of awareness in the political realm. Changing occasional sustainable practices into stable behaviors is the challenge that policymakers face. However, what makes people environmentally aware is an unsolved question, and research on this direction is in evolution. This paper examines factors that promote environmentally responsible behaviors. The study tests the hypothesis that people's wellbeing (SWB) predisposes individuals toward environmentalism. The mechanism of social and civic capital may underlie this association since people reporting higher wellbeing levels show empathy, solidarity, and greater civic engagement. This hypothesis is examined in the context of the European Union using micro-data from the European Values Study-EVS (wave 2017-2022). Results support the hypothesis that people's life satisfaction is compatible with the environmental mindset, given that those who report higher wellbeing express civicness and share pro-environmental beliefs and values. Evidence from this research suggests that supporting SWB growth may offer a fertile ground for promoting ecological awareness and developing more sustainable societies.
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29
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Chen YQ, Han S, Yin B. Why help others? Insights from rodent to human early childhood research. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1058352. [PMID: 37025110 PMCID: PMC10070705 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1058352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Helping behavior are actions aiming at assisting another individual in need or to relieve their distress. The occurrence of this behavior not only depends on automated physiological mechanisms, such as imitation or emotional contagion, that is, the individual's emotion and physiological state matching with others, but also needs motivation to sustain. From a comparative and developmental perspective, we discover that the motivation for helping behavior has a deep foundation both phylogenetically and ontogenetically. For example, empathic concern for others, relieving personal distress and the desire for social contact are universal motivations across rodents, non-human primates and human early childhoods. Therefore, a circle-layered model integrating evidences for motivation for helping behavior from rodent to human early childhood research is proposed: the inner circle contains the emotional-behavioral system and the outer circle contains the affective-cognitive system. The application of this model has significance for both behavioral neuroscience research and cultivating prosocial behavior in human society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Qin Chen
- Laboratory of Learning and Behavioral Sciences, School of Psychology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Shu Han
- Laboratory of Learning and Behavioral Sciences, School of Psychology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Bin Yin
- Laboratory of Learning and Behavioral Sciences, School of Psychology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Applied Psychology, School of Psychology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- *Correspondence: Bin Yin,
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Massarwe A, Cohen N. Understanding the benefits of extrinsic emotion regulation in depression. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1120653. [PMID: 37179872 PMCID: PMC10172593 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1120653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Depression is a serious psychiatric illness that negatively affects people's feelings, thoughts, and actions. Providing emotion regulation support to others, also termed Extrinsic Emotion Regulation (EER), reduces depressive symptoms such as perseverative thinking and negative mood. In this conceptual review paper, we argue that EER may be especially beneficial for individuals with depression because it enhances the cognitive and affective processes known to be impaired in depression. Behavioral studies have shown that EER recruits processes related to cognitive empathy, intrinsic emotion regulation (IER), and reward, all impaired in depression. Neuroimaging data support these findings by showing that EER recruits brain regions related to these three processes, such as the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex which is associated with IER, the ventral striatum, which is associated with reward-related processes, and medial frontal regions related to cognitive empathy. This conceptual review paper sheds light on the mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of EER for individuals with depression and therefore offers novel avenues for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atheer Massarwe
- Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- *Correspondence: Atheer Massarwe,
| | - Noga Cohen
- Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- The Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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31
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Men’s Expectations for Postconflict Reconciliation with Physically Strong Opponents. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40806-022-00350-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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32
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Choi H, Diener E, Sim JH, Oishi S. Happiness is associated with successful living across cultures. THE JOURNAL OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2022.2155221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hyewon Choi
- Department of Sociology, Dong-A University, Busan, South Korea
| | - Ed Diener
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah and The Gallup Organization
| | - Jing Han Sim
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Shigehiro Oishi
- Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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Xie Z, Wu J, Wang X, Zheng Z, Liu C. Dissociating the Multiple Psychological Processes in Everyday Moral Decision-Making with the CAN Algorithm. Behav Sci (Basel) 2022; 12:bs12120501. [PMID: 36546985 PMCID: PMC9774618 DOI: 10.3390/bs12120501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In previous research frameworks, researchers used an everyday dilemma to test people's altruistic versus egoistic inclination. However, there are at least three different psychological processes that could induce altruistic over egoistic decisions, i.e., stronger altruistic sensitivity, weaker egoistic sensitivity, and stronger overall action versus inaction preference. To dissociate these different psychological processes, we developed new materials and applied the CAN algorithm from traditional moral dilemma research in two studies. In Study 1, we designed scenarios varying with a 2 (egoistic/non-egoistic) × 2 (non-altruistic/altruistic) structure. Then, we recruited 209 participants to validate the scenarios and filtered six scene frameworks with 24 scenarios in total. In Study 2, we recruited 747 participants to judge whether they would conduct behavior that is simultaneously altruistic (or non-altruistic) and egoistic (or non-egoistic) in the filtered scenarios obtained from Study 1. They also filled in the Social Isolation Scale, Distress Disclosure Scale, and some other demographic information. As we dissociated the psychological processes using the CAN algorithm, significant correlations between social isolation and distress disclosure and three parameters (i.e., altruistic tendency, egoistic tendency, and overall action/inaction preference) underlying the altruistic choice were revealed to varying degrees. Other individual differences in the psychological processes in everyday moral decision-making were further demonstrated. Our study provided materials and methodological protocols to dissociate the multiple psychological processes in everyday moral decision-making. It promotes our insights on everyday moral decisions from a differential psychological processes perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongju Xie
- Department of Sociology and Psychology, School of Public Administration, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Junhong Wu
- Department of Sociology and Psychology, School of Public Administration, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Xingyuan Wang
- Department of Sociology and Psychology, School of Public Administration, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Ziyi Zheng
- School of Economics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Chuanjun Liu
- Department of Sociology and Psychology, School of Public Administration, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- Institute of Psychology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- Correspondence:
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Stehr P. The benefits of supporting others online – How online communication shapes the provision of support and its relationship with wellbeing. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2022.107568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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35
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Lehmann K, Böckler A, Klimecki O, Müller-Liebmann C, Kanske P. Empathy and correct mental state inferences both promote prosociality. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16979. [PMID: 36217015 PMCID: PMC9550828 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20855-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In a world with rapidly increasing population that competes for the earth's limited resources, cooperation is crucial. While research showed that empathizing with another individual in need enhances prosociality, it remains unclear whether correctly inferring the other's inner, mental states on a more cognitive level (i.e., mentalizing) elicits helping behavior as well. We applied a video-based laboratory task probing empathy and a performance measure of mentalizing in adult volunteers (N = 94) and assessed to which extent they were willing to help the narrators in the videos. We replicate findings that an empathy induction leads to more prosocial decisions. Crucially, we also found that correct mentalizing increases the willingness to help. This evidence helps clarify an inconsistent picture of the relation between mentalizing and prosociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Lehmann
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Straße 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Anne Böckler
- University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Olga Klimecki
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Straße 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Müller-Liebmann
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Straße 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany
| | - Philipp Kanske
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Straße 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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Vella-Brodrick D, Joshanloo M, Slemp GR. Longitudinal Relationships Between Social Connection, Agency, and Emotional Well-Being: A 13-Year Study. THE JOURNAL OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2022.2131609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dianne Vella-Brodrick
- Centre for Wellbeing Science, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Gavin R. Slemp
- Centre for Wellbeing Science, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Wu YE, Hong W. Neural basis of prosocial behavior. Trends Neurosci 2022; 45:749-762. [PMID: 35853793 PMCID: PMC10039809 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The ability to behave in ways that benefit other individuals' well-being is among the most celebrated human characteristics crucial for social cohesiveness. Across mammalian species, animals display various forms of prosocial behaviors - comforting, helping, and resource sharing - to support others' emotions, goals, and/or material needs. In this review, we provide a cross-species view of the behavioral manifestations, proximate and ultimate drives, and neural mechanisms of prosocial behaviors. We summarize key findings from recent studies in humans and rodents that have shed light on the neural mechanisms underlying different processes essential for prosocial interactions, from perception and empathic sharing of others' states to prosocial decisions and actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Emily Wu
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Weizhe Hong
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Li W, Mao Y, Hu B. Will exposure to different consequences of prosocial behavior always lead to subsequent prosocial behavior among adolescents: An experimental study of short videos. Front Psychol 2022; 13:927952. [PMID: 36248583 PMCID: PMC9556875 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.927952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationship between exposure to prosocial media content and prosocial behavior has been extensively explored. However, previous studies mainly explore the effect of prosocial media content exposure by comparing an individual’s exposure to the different types of content (i.e., prosocial content or neutral content), and generally focus on traditional media and video games, with less attention given to the increasingly popular new media platforms. In this study, we explored new dimensions by considering individuals’ exposure to different consequences of the same prosocial behavior (i.e., reward, punishment, or no consequences) in the context of short videos. Drawing upon Social Cognitive Theory and the General Learning Model, this experimental study identified the effect of such exposure on subsequent prosocial behavior among adolescents. We found that compared to the no consequences group, exposure to the reward consequence did not significantly predict moral elevation and subsequent prosocial behavior. Meanwhile, exposure to the punishment consequence had a significantly negative effect on subsequent prosocial behavior via moral elevation. Furthermore, the results revealed that empathy moderated the relationship between moral elevation and prosocial behavior, and moral elevation only positively predicted prosocial behavior among those with low empathy. Theoretically, this study deepens our understanding of the impact of exposure to different consequences of prosocial behavior on adolescents’ subsequent prosocial behavior, and highlights the importance of moral elevation and empathy to understand the underlying mechanism. The study also provides some practical implications for parents and practitioners to nurture prosocial behavior among adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu Li
- School of Media and Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Wu Li,
| | - Yuanyi Mao
- Department of Media and Communication, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Bo Hu
- Department of Media and Communication, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Bo O'Connor B, Fowler Z. How Imagination and Memory Shape the Moral Mind. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2022; 27:226-249. [PMID: 36062349 DOI: 10.1177/10888683221114215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Interdisciplinary research has proposed a multifaceted view of human cognition and morality, establishing that inputs from multiple cognitive and affective processes guide moral decisions. However, extant work on moral cognition has largely overlooked the contributions of episodic representation. The ability to remember or imagine a specific moment in time plays a broadly influential role in cognition and behavior. Yet, existing research has only begun exploring the influence of episodic representation on moral cognition. Here, we evaluate the theoretical connections between episodic representation and moral cognition, review emerging empirical work revealing how episodic representation affects moral decision-making, and conclude by highlighting gaps in the literature and open questions. We argue that a comprehensive model of moral cognition will require including the episodic memory system, further delineating its direct influence on moral thought, and better understanding its interactions with other mental processes to fundamentally shape our sense of right and wrong.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zoë Fowler
- University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
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40
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Lieder F, Prentice M, Corwin‐Renner ER. An interdisciplinary synthesis of research on understanding and promoting well‐doing. SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY COMPASS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/spc3.12704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Falk Lieder
- Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems Tübingen Germany
| | - Mike Prentice
- Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems Tübingen Germany
| | - Emily R. Corwin‐Renner
- Hector Research Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany
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41
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Duan X, Wang X, Li X, Li S, Zhong Y, Bu T. Effect of mass sports activity on prosocial behavior: A sequential mediation model of flow trait and subjective wellbeing. Front Public Health 2022; 10:960870. [PMID: 35979458 PMCID: PMC9376381 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.960870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Participation in mass sports is one of the most efficient strategies for people to attain physical and mental health in China. Prosocial behavior has a positive effect on social development. This study developed a conceptual model with mass sports activity as the independent variable, prosocial behavior as the dependent variable, and flow trait and subjective wellbeing as the mediating variables. Methods Participants (N = 351) completed an online survey. Mass sports activity, flow trait, subjective wellbeing, and prosocial behavior were measured using the physical activity rank scale-3 (PARS-3), short dispositional flow scale (SDFS), index of wellbeing (IWB), and prosocial tendencies measure (PTM), respectively. Descriptive statistics compared differences between sports population (PARS-3, ≥ 36) and non-sports population (PARS-3, <36). Mediation effect was analyzed using the PROCESS (Template, Model 6). Results Sports population scored significantly higher (all P ≤ 0.05) on SDFS, IWB, and PTM than non-sports population. Participation in mass sports stimulated flow trait and thus improved prosocial behavior, with a mediation effect value of 0.061 (95% CI, 0.028–0.104), which accounted for 30.18% of the total effect. Participation in mass sports enhanced subjective wellbeing and thus improved prosocial behavior, with a mediation effect value of 0.044 (95% CI, 0.007–0.090), which accounted for 21.96% of the total effect. Flow trait and subjective wellbeing mediated the relationship between mass sports activity and prosocial behavior in a sequential manner, with a mediation effect value of 0.059 (95% CI, 0.035–0.090), which accounted for 29.23% of the total effect. Conclusion The preliminary results of the mediation model validated the hypothesized sequential links between mass sports activity, flow trait, subjective wellbeing, and prosocial behavior. Greater participation in mass sports increases the likelihood of prosocial behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiyan Duan
- College of Physical Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaohua Wang
- School of Physical Education and Health, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaogang Li
- Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Department of Psychology, School of Education Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Shichen Li
- College of Physical Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Shichen Li
| | - Yiping Zhong
- Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Department of Psychology, School of Education Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
- Yiping Zhong
| | - Te Bu
- College of Physical Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
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Using prosocial behavior to safeguard mental health and foster emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: A registered report of a randomized trial. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272152. [PMID: 35901118 PMCID: PMC9333215 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic, the accompanying lockdown measures, and their possible long-term effects have made mental health a pressing public health concern. Acts that focus on benefiting others—known as prosocial behaviors—offer one promising intervention that is both flexible and low cost. However, neither the range of emotional states prosocial acts impact nor the size of those effects is currently clear—both of which directly influence its attractiveness as a treatment option.
Objective
To assess the effect of prosocial activity on emotional well-being (happiness, belief that one’s life is valuable) and mental health (anxiety, depression).
Methods
1,234 respondents from the United States and Canada were recruited from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk and randomly assigned (by computer software) to perform prosocial (N = 411), self-focused (N = 423), or neutral (N = 400) behaviors three times a week for three weeks. A follow-up assessment was given two weeks after the intervention. Participants were blind to alternative conditions. Analyses were based on 1052 participants (Nprosocial = 347, Nself = 365, Nneutral = 340).
Findings
Those in the prosocial condition did not differ on any outcome from those in the self-focused or neutral acts conditions during the intervention or at follow-up, nor did prosocial effects differ for those who had been negatively affected socially or economically by the pandemic (all p’s > 0.05). Exploratory analyses that more tightly controlled for study compliance found that prosocial acts reduced anxiety relative to neutral acts control (β = -0.12 [95% CI: -0.22 to -0.02]) and increased the belief that one’s life is valuable (β = 0.11 [95% CI: 0.03 to 0.19]). These effects persisted throughout the intervention and at follow-up.
Conclusion
Prosocial acts may provide small, lasting benefits to emotional well-being and mental health. Future work should replicate these results using tighter, pre-registered controls on study compliance.
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Zhu Y, Zhang J, Liu X. Is Distributional Justice Equivalent to Prosocial Sharing in Children’s Cognition? Front Psychol 2022; 13:888028. [PMID: 35903728 PMCID: PMC9315223 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.888028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Distribution and sharing are social preference behaviors supported and shaped by selection pressures, which express individuals’ concern for the welfare of others. Distributive behavior results in distributive justice, which is at the core of moral justice. Sharing is a feature of the prosocial realm. The connotations of distribution and sharing are different, so the principles, research paradigms, and social functions of the two are also different. Three potential causes of confusion between the two in the current research on distribution and sharing are discussed. First, they share common factors in terms of individual cognition, situation, and social factors. Second, although they are conceptually different, prosocial sharing and distribution fairness sensitivity are mutually predictive in individual infants. Similarly, neural differences in preschoolers’ perception of distribution fairness predict their subsequent sharing generosity. Finally, similar activation regions are relevant to distribution and sharing situations that need behavioral control on a neural basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuning Zhu
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jingmiao Zhang
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- School of Educational Science and Technology, Anshan Normal University, Anshan, China
| | - Xiuli Liu
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Xiuli Liu,
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Hong Y, Zhao J, Yu J, Wang H. Quality of life and emergency preparedness of MHO staff: role of psychological capital and perceived organizational support. J Health Organ Manag 2022; ahead-of-print. [PMID: 35799312 DOI: 10.1108/jhom-05-2022-0130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Enhancing the initiative and enthusiasm of emergency preparedness behaviors among Medical and Health Organization (MHO) staff is an effective measure to prevent and reduce losses from emergencies. In this study, emergency preparedness behavioral intentions were divided into noncooperative behavioral intentions (EPNCBI) and cooperative behavioral intentions (EPCBI) to discuss the impact brought by quality of life (QoL). The mediating effects of psychological capital (PsyCap) and perceived organizational support (POS) were also considered. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH A web-based questionnaire was used for MHO staff in China, and a structural equation analysis of the data collected from 243 participants was conducted to test the hypotheses. FINDINGS The empirical results reveal that: (1) QoL had a positive effect on EPNCBI, PsyCap and POS; (2) PsyCap had a positive effect on EPNCBI and EPCBI; (3) POS had a positive effect on PsyCap and EPCBI; (4) PsyCap mediated the relationship between QoL and EPNCBI, and the relationship between POS and EPNCBI; (5) PsyCap and POS mediated the relationship between QoL and EPCBI. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Improving MHO staff's QoL is an effective way to enhance positive behavioral outcomes. Furthermore, these findings could provide managers with valuable insight focusing their limited resources on enhancing the emergency preparedness of MHO staff by reinforcing the level of PsyCap and POS. ORIGINALITY/VALUE This study provides important updated considerations for the application of positive psychology in the field of emergency preparedness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jian Yu
- Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huihui Wang
- Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
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Li W, Chen M, Li X. More Interactions, More Prosociality? An Investigation of the Prosocial Effect of Online Social Interactions Among Adolescents. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2022; 25:432-438. [PMID: 35594300 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2021.0343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is a key stage for prosocial advancement. A plethora of research suggested that the consumption of prosocial-themed media content can facilitate the development of adolescents' prosociality. However, little has examined whether various behaviors of media use may play a role here, such as online social interactions (OSIs). This study aimed at exploring whether and how OSIs, an omnipresent activity we engage in on a daily basis, could enhance prosocial tendencies among adolescents. Empathy and trust were proposed as two possible explanatory variables linking OSIs and prosocial tendencies. A survey was conducted among 533 secondary school students (46.5 percent females; age: 12-18 years old, Mage = 14.82, SDage = 1.77) in China, assessing their OSIs on Weibo, prosocial tendencies, trust, and empathy. The results confirmed that OSIs are positively associated with adolescents' prosocial tendencies, and this association goes through trust, not empathy. Further, it was found that age serves as a moderator such that the indirect association via trust is significant only for middle and late adolescents, not the early group. The findings provide preliminary evidence and a theoretical basis for further investigation of prosociality development from OSIs. It also opens up a possible direction of adolescents' prosociality promotion in practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu Li
- School of Media and Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meng Chen
- School of Media and Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Li
- School of Media and Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Russell SJ, Cain K. The animals in moral tales: Does character realism influence children’s prosocial response to stories? J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 219:105392. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Fu YN, Feng R, Liu Q, He Y, Turel O, Zhang S, He Q. Awe and Prosocial Behavior: The Mediating Role of Presence of Meaning in Life and the Moderating Role of Perceived Social Support. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19116466. [PMID: 35682050 PMCID: PMC9180055 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Although awe has been shown to increase prosocial behavior, there is limited knowledge about the mechanisms underlying this relationship, and about this relationship during unique periods. To bridge these gaps, this study examined the influence of awe on prosocial behaviors, the mediating role of the presence of meaning in life, and the moderating role of perceived social support. Based on longitudinal surveys from 676 Chinese college students we showed that: (1) awe was positively associated with prosocial behavior; (2) the presence of meaning in life mediated this association, and; (3) these associations were moderated by perceived social support. Specifically, the positive relationship between awe and the presence of meaning in life was only significant for college students with low perceived social support; and the positive relationship between the presence of meaning in life and prosocial behavior was stronger for college students with high perceived social support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Nan Fu
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China; (Y.-N.F.); (R.F.); (Q.L.); (Y.H.)
- Guangxi University and College Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Applied Psychology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Ruodan Feng
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China; (Y.-N.F.); (R.F.); (Q.L.); (Y.H.)
- Guangxi University and College Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Applied Psychology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Qun Liu
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China; (Y.-N.F.); (R.F.); (Q.L.); (Y.H.)
- Guangxi University and College Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Applied Psychology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China
- School of Marxism, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang 641112, China
| | - Yumei He
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China; (Y.-N.F.); (R.F.); (Q.L.); (Y.H.)
- Guangxi University and College Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Applied Psychology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Ofir Turel
- School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia;
| | - Shuyue Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China; (Y.-N.F.); (R.F.); (Q.L.); (Y.H.)
- Guangxi University and College Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Applied Psychology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China
- Correspondence: (S.Z.); (Q.H.)
| | - Qinghua He
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China; (Y.-N.F.); (R.F.); (Q.L.); (Y.H.)
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
- Correspondence: (S.Z.); (Q.H.)
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48
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Ouyang X, Qi W, Song D, Zhou J. Does Subjective Well-Being Promote Pro-Environmental Behaviors? Evidence from Rural Residents in China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19105992. [PMID: 35627529 PMCID: PMC9140646 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19105992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
The spontaneous pro-environmental behavior (PEB) of rural residents is essential for rural environmental governance. Existing studies have primarily focused on the impact of objective factors on individual PEB, while less attention has been paid to the role of subjective factors, such as rural residents’ subjective well-being, in shaping such behaviors. Based on the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) data, this study evaluates the impact of subjective well-being on the PEB of rural residents. The results show that subjective well-being significantly promoted the PEB in both the private sphere with reciprocity and the public sphere with altruistic attributes. Subjective well-being affected PEB mainly by enhancing rural residents’ social interaction and reciprocity with others and raising their fraternity and altruism. Moreover, the positive effect was mainly driven by women and individuals with more environmental knowledge. Therefore, enhancing rural residents’ subjective well-being is not only an important development goal, but also the starting point and foothold of solving the contradiction between economic development and environmental protection and promoting social harmony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Ouyang
- National School of Agricultural Institution and Development, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.O.); (D.S.)
| | - Wen’e Qi
- College of Economics and Management, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Correspondence:
| | - Donghui Song
- National School of Agricultural Institution and Development, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (X.O.); (D.S.)
| | - Jianjun Zhou
- School of Economics, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing 100081, China;
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49
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Yin Y, Wang Y. Is empathy associated with more prosocial behaviour? A meta‐analysis. ASIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ajsp.12537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Yin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- Department of Psychology University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Yong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- The Research Center for Psychological Education University of International Relations Beijing China
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50
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Christner N, Pletti C, Paulus M. How does the moral self-concept relate to prosocial behaviour? Investigating the role of emotions and consistency preference. Cogn Emot 2022; 36:894-911. [PMID: 35536303 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2022.2067133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The moral self-concept has been proposed as a central predictor of prosocial behaviour. In two experiments (one preregistered), we explored the nature of the relation between the moral self-concept (explicit and implicit) and prosocial behaviour. Specifically, we investigated the role of emotions associated with prosocial behaviour (consequential or anticipated) and preference for consistency. The results revealed a relation between the explicit moral self-concept and sharing behaviour. The explicit moral self-concept was linked to anticipated and consequential emotions regarding not-sharing. Importantly, anticipated and consequential emotions about not-sharing mediated the relation between self-concept and behaviour. Yet, the relation was independent of preference for consistency. The implicit moral self-concept was neither related to prosocial behaviour nor to emotions associated with behaviour. Overall, our study demonstrates the interplay between cognitive and emotional processes in explaining prosocial behaviour. More specific, it underlines the link between the moral self-concept and prosocial behaviour and highlights the role of emotions about the omission of prosocial behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Markus Paulus
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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