The presence of ‘others’ increases prosociality: examining the role of dating Partner’s accompany on donation

Abstract

ABSTRACT Research in the field of prosocial behavior has shown that the presence of others has a significant effect on individuals’ prosociality. However, no research has explored such an effect of romantic partner’s presence. Studies in evolutionary psychology have shown benevolence/prosociality as an important factor when choosing a romantic partner. Therefore, in the present study, we hypothesized that people will donate more in the presence of dating partners to maintain a positive impression on them. The research followed a mixed-method approach. The first study, a vignette-based experiment showed that people believed the presence of a dating partner significantly enhances the chances of donation. The second study was a between-subject experiment that confirmed the findings of study 1 from both donors’ and receivers’ perspectives. The third study was a qualitative investigation, where a semi-structured interview method was used to find out how and why the presence of a dating partner may influence donation. The interviews showed that the presence of dating partners increases prosociality mainly because donors want to make a good impression and project the right image of them in their partners’ eyes. The research overall suggests that the human need for self-presentation that projects them more socially likable shapes their willingness to extend a helping hand to others in the presence of their romantic partners.