Prosocial spending and well-being: Cross-cultural evidence for a psychological universal.

Abstract

This research provides the first support for a possible psychological universal: Human beings around the world derive emotional benefits from using their financial resources to help others (prosocial spending). In Study 1, survey data from 136 countries were examined and showed that prosocial spending is associated with greater happiness around the world, in poor and rich countries alike. To test for causality, in Studies 2a and 2b, we used experimental methodology, demonstrating that recalling a past instance of prosocial spending has a causal impact on happiness across countries that differ greatly in terms of wealth (Canada, Uganda, and India). Finally, in Study 3, participants in Canada and South Africa randomly assigned to buy items for charity reported higher levels of positive affect than participants assigned to buy the same items for themselves, even when this prosocial spending did not provide an opportunity to build or strengthen social ties. Our findings suggest that the reward experienced from helping others may be deeply ingrained in human nature, emerging in diverse cultural and economic contexts.

To Lend Helping Hands

“…We are here concerned with the simple frequency of pro-social spending, not with the amount donated. In a 133-nation study drawing upon an earlier wave of the Gallup Organization's annual global surveys than that used in the present study, Aknin, Barrington-Leigh, et al (2013) found that the proportion of persons in each nation having donated to charity during the past month correlated with nation-level wealth at r = .54. However, as noted earlier, Levine et al (2001) found helping less frequent in the richer nations in their sample.…”

Happy to Help? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of performing acts of kindness on the well-being of the actor

“…A large body of research has established an association between kindness and well-being (Anik, Aknin, Norton, & Dunn, 2009;Konrath & Brown, 2013). However, much of this research has been correlationalshowing, for example, that people who spend more money on others are happier (Aknin, Barrington-Leigh, et al, 2013), or people who volunteer to help others are healthier (Jenkinson et al, 2013).…”

Keep Calm and Be Happy: A Mixed Method Study from Character Strengths to Well-being

“…Another hypothesis found in the literature also states volunteer work to strengthen and broaden one's social relations and social relations to also be a significant predictor of happiness, health, depression, and long life (Borgonovi, 2008). While one study found the sense of awe related to peace provides an indicator of people's pro-social behaviors (Piff, Dietze, Feinberg, Stancato, & Keltner, 2015), another study supported the intercultural findings that pro-social behaviors increase well-being (Aknin et al, 2013). Individuals that show self-esteem and helpful behaviors are seen to have high levels of life satisfaction and desire to live and to experience low levels of depression, anxiety and somatization (Post, 2005).…”