Ineffectiveness in Prosociality

Abstract

The theme of this year’s symposium, Creating a Better World Together, calls for scholars across the field of management to aid in our understanding of how individuals and organizations can help to lead “the world from darkness to better days”. In order for individuals and organizations to positively impact the world, scholars need to better understand both (i) how to sustain individual and organizational motivation to continuously engage in prosocial ventures and (ii) how to help ensure that individuals’ and organizations’ prosocial ventures actually make (continuously) positive impacts on the world. The present symposium presents some of the latest research on the psychology of prosocial and charitable behaviors, each project aiming to shed light on previously unknown barriers to effective prosociality: prosociality that actually helps the world, prosocial appeals that actually foster helping behavior, and prosocial behavior that actually fosters moral praise. We believe that a better understanding of the psychology behind prosocial and charitable behaviors—especially when and why such helping behaviors and appeals backfire—is critical when trying to effectively Create a Better World Together. The Negative Effects of Giver Spotlighting on Recipients of Aid Presenter: Samantha Kassirer; Northwestern Kellogg School of Management Presenter: Maryam Kouchaki; Northwestern Kellogg School of Management When You Try Your Best to Help but Don't Succeed Presenter: Yu Tse Heng; U. of Virginia Presenter: Ryan Fehr; U. of Washington, Seattle Weather to Help: How Sunlight (and the Stock Market) Influence Prosocial Behavior Presenter: Polly Kang; NUS Business School Presenter: Maurice Schweitzer; U. of Pennsylvania Zero-Sum Beliefs Increase Stress by Undermining Expectations of Prosocial Behavior Presenter: Michael White; Columbia Business School Presenter: Genevive Gregorich; Columbia Business School Presenter: Shai Davidai; Columbia Business School Presenter: Modupe Akinola; Columbia U. Partitioning Prosocial Acts to Increase Moral Praise Presenter: Rebecca Schaumberg; The Wharton School, U. of Pennsylvania Presenter: Stephanie Lin; INSEAD