Identification with all humanity and willingness to help people in COVID-19 affected countries: Testing a moderated mediation model

Abstract

The conceptualization of Identification with All Humankind (IWAH) suggests that human beings care deeply not only for their own ingroups but for all humanity as a whole. The COVID-19 pandemic has witnessed so much international help across national borders. Inspired by research on IWAH, we examined whether IWAH was associated with adolescents' sympathy for people in COVID-19 affected countries, which was further related to their willingness to help. The moderating role of conscientiousness on this indirect association was also examined. Eight hundred and fifty four students were recruited as participants. Data were obtained with adolescents reporting on their IWAH, sympathy for and willingness to help people in COVID-19 affected countries. The results indicated that IWAH was both directly and indirectly associated with their willingness to help people in COVID-19 affected countries via sympathy for them. Adolescents' conscientiousness moderated the indirect relation of adolescents' IWAH with their willingness to help via sympathy for people in COVID-19 affected countries. Specifically, for adolescents high in conscientiousness, IWAH was more strongly associated with willingness to give help. The main conclusion is that adolescents high in IWAH were more likely to experience sympathy for people in COVID-19 affected countries, thus making them more likely to give help, especially for adolescents high in conscientiousness.