Benevolence; Charity; Civil service; Compassion; Cooperation; Generosity; Helping; Kind acts; Philanthropy; Selflessness; Self-sacrifice; Volunteering
Definition
Prosocial behavior is voluntary, intentional behavior that results in benefits for another person. Such behavior is considered to be altruistic if it is motivated by a genuine desire to benefit another person, without any expectation of benefits to oneself [Feigin et al. ; Eisenberg and Miller ].
Prosocial behavior is the “social glue” that enables people of different ages to live together peacefully and productively. Specifically, prosocial behavior has been defined as “voluntary, intentional behavior that results in benefits for another person” [Eisenberg and Miller , p. 92]. The purpose of this entry is to examine motivators or antecedents of prosocial behavior, possible benefits or consequences for the helper, and how the underlying processes may differ across different phases of the adult lifespan.
Ima...
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
Buying options
Chapter
EUR 29.95
Price includes VAT [Singapore]- DOI: 10.1007/978-981-287-082-7_69
- Chapter length: 8 pages
- Instant PDF download
- Readable on all devices
- Own it forever
- Exclusive offer for individuals only
- Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
eBookEUR 1,604.99Price includes VAT [Singapore]
- ISBN: 978-981-287-082-7
- Instant PDF download
- Readable on all devices
- Own it forever
- Exclusive offer for individuals only
- Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Hardcover BookEUR 1,599.99Price excludes VAT [Singapore]
- ISBN: 978-981-287-081-0
- Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
- Exclusive offer for individuals only
- Free shipping worldwide
Shipping restrictions may apply, check to see if you are impacted. - Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Learn about institutional subscriptions
Alden, L. E., & Trew, J. L. [2013]. If it makes you happy: Engaging in kind acts increases positive affect in socially anxious individuals. Emotion, 13[1], 64. CrossRef PubMed Google Scholar Bolger, N., & Laurenceau, J. P. [2013]. Intensive longitudinal methods: An introduction to diary and experience sampling research. New York: Guilford Press. Google Scholar Carstensen, L. L., Fung, H. H., & Charlie, S. T. [2003]. Socioemotional selectivity theory and the regulation of emotion in the second half of life. Motivation and Emotion, 27[2], 103–123. CrossRef Google Scholar Charles, S. T. [2010]. Strength and vulnerability integration: A model of emotional well-being across adulthood. Psychological Bulletin, 136, 1068–1091.References
CrossRef PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Coall, D. A., & Hertwig, R. [2010]. Grandparental investment: Past, present, and future. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 33[01], 1–19.
CrossRef PubMed Google Scholar
de Waal, F. B. M. [2008]. Putting the altruism back into altruism: The evolution of empathy. Annual Review of Psychology, 59[1], 279–300.
CrossRef PubMed Google Scholar
Dunn, E. W., Aknin, L. B., & Norton, M. I. [2008]. Spending money on others promotes happiness. Science, 319[5870], 1687–1688.
CrossRef CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Eisenberg, N., & Miller, P. A. [1987]. The relation of empathy to prosocial and related behaviors. Psychological Bulletin, 101[1], 91.
CrossRef CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Erikson, E. H. [1982]. The life cycle completed: A review. New York: Norton.
Google Scholar
Feigin, S., Owens, G., & Goodyear-Smith, F. [2014]. Theories of human altruism: A systematic review. Annals of Neuroscience and Psychology, 1[1]. Retrieved from //www.vipoa.org/neuropsychol
Fried, L., Carlson, M., Freedman, M., Frick, K., Glass, T., Hill, J., & Zeger, S. [2004]. A social model for health promotion for an aging population: Initial evidence on the EC model. Journal of Urban Health: Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, 81[1], 64–78.
CrossRef Google Scholar
Grühn, D., Rebucal, K., Diehl, M., Lumley, M., & Labouvie-Vief, G. [2008]. Empathy across the adult lifespan: Longitudinal and experience-sampling findings. Emotion, 8[6], 753.
CrossRef PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Henrich, J., Heine, S. J., & Norenzayan, A. [2010]. The weirdest people in the world? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 33[2–3], 61–83.
CrossRef PubMed Google Scholar
Keyes, C. L. M., & Ryff, C. D. [1998]. Generativity in adult lives: Social structural contours and quality of life consequences. In D. P. McAdams, S. De, & E. Aubin [Eds.], Generativity and adult development: How and why we care for the next generation [pp. 227–263]. Washington: APA.
CrossRef Google Scholar
Konrath, S., Fuhrel-Forbis, A., Lou, A., & Brown, S. [2012]. Motives for volunteering are associated with mortality risk in older adults. Health Psychology, 31[1], 87.
CrossRef PubMed Google Scholar
Labouvie-Vief, G. [2003]. Dynamic integration affect, cognition, and the self in adulthood. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12[6], 201–206.
CrossRef Google Scholar
Lang, F. R., & Carstensen, L. L. [2002]. Time counts: Future time perspective, goals, and social relationships. Psychology and Aging, 17[1], 125.
CrossRef PubMed Google Scholar
Martin, P., Baenziger, J., MacDonald, M., Siegler, I. C., & Poon, L. W. [2009]. Engaged lifestyle, personality, and mental status among centenarians. Journal of Adult Development, 16[4], 199–208.
CrossRef PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Maxfield, M., Greenberg, J., Pyszczynski, T., Weise, D. R., Kosloff, S., Soenke, M., & Blatter, J. [2014]. Increases in generative concern among older adults following reminders of mortality. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 79[1], 1–21.
CrossRef Google Scholar
McAdams, D. P., Hart, H. M., & Maruna, S. [1998]. The anatomy of generativity. In D. P. McAdams, S. De, & E. Aubin [Eds.], Generativity and adult development: How and why we care for the next generation [pp. 7–43]. Washington: APA.
CrossRef Google Scholar
Midlarsky, E., & Kahana, E. [2007]. Altruism, well-being, and mental health in late life. In Altruism and health: Perspectives from empirical research [pp. 56–69]. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Google Scholar
Moll, J., Krueger, F., Zahn, R., Pardini, M., de Oliveira-Souza, R., & Grafman, J. [2006]. Human fronto-mesolimbic networks guide decisions about charitable donation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 103, 15623–15628.
CrossRef CAS Google Scholar
Okun, M. A., & Schultz, A. [2003]. Age and motives for volunteering: Testing hypotheses derived from socioemotional selectivity theory. Psychology and Aging, 18[2], 231.
CrossRef PubMed Google Scholar
Penner, L. A., Dovidio, J. F., Piliavin, J. A., & Schroeder, D. A. [2005]. Prosocial behavior: Multilevel perspectives. Annual Review of Psychology, 56, 365–392.
CrossRef PubMed Google Scholar
Schoklitsch, A., & Baumann, U. [2012]. Generativity and aging: A promising future research topic? Journal of Aging Studies, 26[3], 262–272.
CrossRef Google Scholar
Sze, J. A., Gyurak, A., Goodkind, M. S., & Levenson, R. W. [2012]. Greater emotional empathy and prosocial behavior in late life. Emotion, 12[5], 1129.
CrossRef PubMed Google Scholar
Van Willigen, M. [2000]. Differential benefits of volunteering across the life course. The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 55[5], 308–318.
CrossRef Google Scholar
Weinstein, N., & Ryan, R. M. [2010]. When helping helps: Autonomous motivation for prosocial behavior and its influence on well-being for the helper and recipient. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98[2], 222.
CrossRef PubMed Google Scholar
Wilson, J. [2000]. Volunteering. Annual Review of Sociology, 26[1], 215–240.
CrossRef Google Scholar
Download references
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
The University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, V6T 1Z4, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Jennifer C. Lay
Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Christiane A. Hoppmann
Authors
- Jennifer C. Lay
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
- Christiane A. Hoppmann
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
Corresponding author
Correspondence to Jennifer C. Lay .
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Nancy A. Pachana
Rights and permissions
Reprints and Permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore
About this entry
Cite this entry
Lay, J.C., Hoppmann, C.A. [2017]. Altruism and Prosocial Behavior. In: Pachana, N.A. [eds] Encyclopedia of Geropsychology. Springer, Singapore. //doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-082-7_69