English
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- Collaborative and supportive social behavior has been of great value and importance in every reported culture and society in human history. This applies to both general prosocial behavior and to helping behavior in an actual emergency, in which the degree of (pro)active engagement and display of such behavior can have decisive direct material and nonmaterial consequences. Given the complexity of human behavior, it can be difficult to determine whether helping behavior automatically translates to positive benefits for the helping person. While the existence of pure altruism without selfishness might thereby be questionable, the world’s need for a prosocial society is nonetheless indisputable. The aim of this thesis is the construction of a model of prosocial behavior that includes different influencing factors and examines the question whether personal prosocial behavior is affected by belonging to a cultural peer group regulated by written and unwritten laws, traditions and the individual expression of the regulatory focus. Eventually, the model is to explain how culture, regulatory focus, obedience and (individual) experience influence the decision of the individuum whether or not to execute direct or indirect prosocial behavior. The evaluation of the data collected by questionnaire from 425 participants (291f/134m) supports the assumption that an individual cultural identity has a positive connection to prosocial behavior. Additionally, positive (mutually) helping experiences can lead to more prosocial behavior. The data supported the fundamental idea of model and presented different factors that predicted direct prosocial, indirect prosocial and non-helping behavior. Culture, self description as a helping person, perceived physical arousal and positive experiences were the strongest predictors for prosocial behavior. Furthermore, regulatory focus predicted 3 direct helping and not helping behavior in the expected pattern, with promotion focus leading to prosocial and prevention focus leading to non-helping behavior. This theoretical model provides a focus on different behavioral alternatives. Due to the biased sample and the expected social desired answer pattern, further future discussion is to be recommended.
Culture Sensitive Interacting Model of Prosocial Behavior
- PhD thesis
- english
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- Culture -- Prosocial Behavior
