Psychology

Increasing prosocial behavior and decreasing selfishness in the lab and everyday life

A. T. Gloster, M. T. B. Rinner, et al.

This intriguing study by Andrew T. Gloster, Marcia T. B. Rinner, and Andrea H. Meyer explores how a brief psychological micro-intervention can significantly boost prosocial behavior and decrease selfishness among couples. With remarkable results showing a 28% rise in altruism and a 35% drop in selfish actions, the findings highlight the potential for short interventions to foster kindness in everyday life.

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Playback language: English

Index

Abstract

This study investigated whether a brief psychological micro-intervention could increase prosocial behavior and reduce selfishness in couples. Two studies randomized couples to receive a 15-minute micro-intervention focused on psychological flexibility. Results showed a significant increase in prosocial behaviors (28%) and a decrease in selfish behaviors (35%) one week later in behavioral games. Event sampling methodology further confirmed increased prosocial behaviors throughout the week, particularly among those who received the intervention. These findings suggest that brief interventions can effectively promote prosociality in both laboratory and real-life settings.

Publisher

Scientific Reports

Published On

Dec 04, 2020

Authors

Andrew T. Gloster, Marcia T. B. Rinner, Andrea H. Meyer

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