Attitudes of Poles towards prosocial activity in 1988-2016

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to present the specific nature of the Polish society’s attitude towards prosocial activity in the period of the beginning of transformation and later on. The article describes in more detailed form the assumption on the growing complexity of prosocial activities and complexity of related motivations. The research questions are focuesdon several issues: how Poles perceive assistance, if they willingly help the ones in need, who they help, what forms of prosocial activities they prefer and what motivates them, how they change their attitude and pro-social activities in helping other people. The analysis of available representative survey-based research leads to the conclusion that the nature of Poles' attitudes towards prosocial activity is ambivalent.