Prosocial Activity Research Articles

Dynamic policy in the presence of social norms

AbstractIndividual actions can depend on prevailing social norms. We investigate how optimal policy to promote pro‐social action should exploit the underlying social dynamics. We develop a dynamic model of prosocial action in which conformist consumers repeatedly choose whether to engage in some prosocial activity. Whereas individual behavior is not observed, the overall participation rate in the previous period is common knowledge. We demonstrate how conformity can lead to multiple steady states and how their selection depends on starting conditions and discount factors. We further show that the optimal subsidy path can be non‐monotonic and can decrease before reaching the steady state‐level. Our model thus provides a rationale for introductory subsidies to promote environmentally friendly behavior from a behavioral perspective.

Cosmopolitan solidarity in crises: Volunteer translation as a prosocial collective action

When a crisis happens, the affected region is very often culturally and linguistically diverse, with complex linguistic maps which are further complicated by the linguistic diversity of the rescue and humanitarian responders. Lesser-used languages often have fewer resources for provision of professional translators. Thus, the speakers of these languages depend on autonomous and civic solidarity (Agustín & Jørgensen, 2019), including support in translation and interpreting. For example, during the recent earthquake in Türkiye language support was provided by volunteer translators serving many national rescue teams and relief aid workers. In addition, during the 2015 refugee crises in Europe citizen groups used cultural activities to show solidarity. This article examines the act of translation as a prosocial activity that shows solidarity with the victims in crisis situations. It raises awareness about the linguistic challenges faced by communities in crisis situations and identifies strategies to overcome these challenges using volunteer translation. By narrating individual translator motivations, it identifies solidarity as a form of advocacy and empowerment, while showing empathy towards the crisis-affected people.

Manageability of youth media volunteering: characteristics of activity and organizational conditions

The article is devoted to the study of the experience of young Russians in media volunteering, with the objective of identifying the potential of this type of prosocial activity and determining the conditions for its expansion among youth. The analysis of scientific literature and the results of a sociological survey of youth in the Sverdlovsk region aged 14 to 35 years enabled us to identify the factors and characteristics that facilitate the activation of the subjectivity of the youth in media volunteer initiatives. It was found that in order to increase the manageability of digital volunteering among youth, potential media volunteers must understand the value of their activities in the media. It is necessary to expand interaction not only between the organizers of volunteer activities and volunteers, but also between volunteers and beneficiaries. This condition is also connected with the need to broadcast in the public space both the initiatives themselves and the qualitative changes in the lives of beneficiaries that have occurred thanks to the help of media volunteers. The next important element is the choice of communication channel with potential volunteers. Social networks and online platforms are the most convenient and easy to use for both the organizers and the volunteers themselves. It has been demonstrated that if modern youth possess fundamental digital literacy skills, the primary motivation for participation in media volunteer initiatives among young Ural residents is the prospect of acquiring new knowledge and skills for their professional development. The study indicated that for the effective management of this type of volunteering, a supportive digital environment, which is currently being established in our country through the implementation of federal digital platforms, is crucial. Young Russians are well acquainted with both the "Dobro.RF" online platform and the online portal "We decide to". The results obtained can be used by organizers of social projects in the non-profit sector to improve the efficiency of recruiting young volunteers and expand their functionality.

Жертвенность как психологический феномен (на примере жизни и деятельности Фридриха Иосифа Гааза)

The article attempts to study the phenomenon of sacrifice within the framework of psychological science. The theoretical and methodological foundations of the analysis were the ideas of the founder of analytical psychology Carl Gustav Jung. He considered an important component of psychological work on the harmonization of the inner world to be the willingness of a person to come into contact with a variety of mental material, including those related to negative, unpleasant characteristics of his own personality in order to analyze them. Sacrifice in the context of analytical psychology involves systematic reflection, self-deepening, increasing awareness and, as a result, enriching the personality with meanings that are not subjective, but universal. In the article Jung's ideas are considered regarding the life and charitable activities of a man of high spiritual life, an outstanding silverless physician of the XIX century Friedrich-Joseph Haase. It is shown that his prosocial activity is the result of personal transformations under the influence of deep religious faith, orientation to Christian symbols and dogmas, introspection and subtle psychological reflection. Haaz endowed a person's life path with a sacred meaning, trusted the natural flow of life, considered the circumstances of life, turns of fate, meetings as tasks set for him from Above. The doctor's high degree of awareness expanded the boundaries of perception of reality and contributed to the fact that public interests and concerns became deeply personal for him.

Bunt młodych w XIX-wiecznym Wilnie. Fragment z dziejów Towarzystwa Filomatów

Teenage rebellion is a part of social development in adolescents in order for them to develop an identity independent from their parents or guardians. Moreover, teens shape identity through revolt. This phenomenon affected also members of the Philomath Society, which was formed in 1817 at the Imperial University of Vilnius. Philomaths rebelled against the old generation, upbringing methods, weakness in the Society, idleness of youth. They were not indifferent to the political situation, so that they mutinied against the Russian Empired. The Philomath Society’s rebellion manifested in rule of the secrecy, pedagogic activity (formation of the youth associations, work as teachers), prosocial activity, language and tradition preserving. Teenage rebellion of Philomaths aimed at changing the reality, which was unacceptable.

Who Will Spare a Dime? Impulse Giving Decisions at the Checkout

Campaigns asking for donations at the checkout of retail stores through rounding-up, donating an amount, or purchasing a token are becoming ubiquitous. The concept of “checkout charity” is really one of impulse giving, i.e., a prosocial activity done under time constraints. Industry reports inform us how much money the corporate campaigns are generating, but we have yet to develop a philanthropic profile of an “impulse giver” or compare them with traditional donors. Using the social heuristics hypothesis, this research helps us to better understand impulse giving and the individuals who engage in it. Women, the middle class, and those who are married or divorced were all more likely to give at the register. In contrast with formal giving, education levels had little relation to giving, and those approaching and over 50 years old were less likely to give. Familiarity with the charity and being Black or African-American correlate with greater amounts donated.

ЦІННІСНО-СМИСЛОВІ АСПЕКТИ КОНЦЕПТУ «ГІДНІСТЬ» У СУЧАСНОМУ СОЦІАЛЬНО-ГУМАНІТАРНОМУ ДИСКУРСІ

The article provides a detailed analysis of the process of developing the value aspects of the category of dignity in the corpus of socio-philosophical, social, and humanitarian sciences. The main principles of the individual-subjective, national-specific, and political implementation of the concept of dignity in modern humanitarian sciences, legislation of many countries, international law, and social practices are considered. Current approaches to working out the problem of active participation of the individual in establishing humanistic norms of behavior and social relations are established. In the context of the aggression of the Russian Federation and the long-term war on the territory of Ukraine, attention is focused on one of the most important socio-philosophical value identifiers of dignity - personal and collective responsibility, as the ability of individuals and communities to consciously react, influence, control, manage, generate their pro-social activity in a specific situation or context. Taking into account the circumstances of the Ukrainian present, the need to detail as fully as possible the main factors of the value-meaning reflections of the public opinion of the Ukrainian community in many extremely sensitive and socially significant issues in the following scientific investigations is substantiated. In particular, the issues of interaction between personal values and social norms in the conditions of global social changes and challenges are studied. Emphasis is placed on the importance of developing and maintaining a culture of dignity in education and educational practices that contribute to the formation of conscious and responsible citizens. The role of media and information technologies in the formation and dissemination of values of dignity is discussed, in particular in the context of combating propaganda and disinformation. Ways of integrating the concept of dignity into various aspects of state policy and public life are proposed in order to strengthen social unity and justice.

Longitudinal associations of volunteering, grandparenting, and family care with processing speed: A gender perspective on prosocial activity and cognitive aging in the second half of life.

An active lifestyle has been associated with better cognitive performance in many studies. However, most studies have focused on leisure activities or paid work, with less consideration of the kind of prosocial activities, many people engage in, including volunteering, grandparenting, and family care. In the present study, based on four waves of the German Ageing Survey (N = 6,915, aged 40-85 at baseline), we used parallel growth curves to investigate the longitudinal association of level and change in volunteering, grandparenting, and family care with level and change in processing speed. Given the gendered nature of engagement in these activities over the life span, we tested for gender differences in the associations. Only volunteering was reliably associated with higher speed of processing at baseline, no consistent longitudinal associations were found. Our results show that although prosocial activities are of great societal importance, expectations of large rewards in terms of cognitive health may be exaggerated. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Pro-social and pro-cognitive effects of LIT-001, a novel oxytocin receptor agonist in a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia

Social and cognitive dysfunctions are the most persistent symptoms of schizophrenia. Since oxytocin (OXT) is known to play a role in social functions and modulates cognitive processes, we investigated the effects of a novel, nonpeptide, selective OXT receptor agonist, LIT-001, in a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia. Administration of methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM; 22 mg/kg) on the 17th day of rat pregnancy is known to cause developmental disturbances of the brain, which lead to schizophrenia-like symptomatology in the offspring. Here, we examined the effects of acutely administered LIT-001 (1, 3, and 10 mg/kg) in MAM-exposed males and females on social behaviour, communication and cognition. We report that MAM-treated adult male and female rats displayed reduced social behaviour, ultrasonic communication and novel object recognition test performance. LIT-001 partially reversed these deficits, increasing the total social interaction time and the number of ‘positive’, highly-modulated 50 kHz ultrasonic calls in male rats. The compound ameliorated MAM-induced deficits in object discrimination in both sexes. Present results confirm the pro-social activity of LIT-001 and demonstrate its pro-cognitive effects following acute administration.

Socio-psychological specifications of volunteers taking into account the intergenerational approach

The article presents the results of a study aimed at studying the socio-psychological characteristics of young volunteers and volunteers over 55 years old, taking into account intergenerational characteristics. It is revealed that the socio-psychological characteristics of the volunteers of the two studied generations have predominantly invariant characteristics. These include the polymotivation of prosocial activity, expressed with high significance for volunteers of all values; the importance of active social contacts; altruistic orientation of the individual; compassion as the most pronounced effective component of prosocial behavior and a tendency to emotionally colored actions in providing assistance.

Mental Health Problems in High School Students and Their Information Channels - A Cross Sectional Study in Bac Giang, Can Tho and Da Nang

In recent years, mental health and psychosocial problems have both been on the rise in Vietnam, especially among children and young people (ODI and UNICEF 2011). Based on the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data of the ministry-level project "Research on activities to support mental health awareness raising for high school students" (code ĐT.KXĐTN 20-09) issued by the Vietnam Youth Academy in 2020, the article aimed at identifying mental health problems and information channels commonly used by high school students to raise awareness of mental health issues and describes the relationship between these two. The results of the analysis show that students are facing negative mental health symptoms, focusing on two problems with peer relationship, hyperactivity problems. Prosocial activity for them is at the borderline and abnormally high compared to other issues. High school students seek information related to mental health through the three most information channels, respectively: through internet sites; through a mental health mobile app; and shared by parents. The research also shows that there are differences between boys, girls, and grade levels in the use of information channels to learn about mental health.

The Consequences of the Pandemic: Pro-Social Practices and Community Solidarity

The relevance of the work is in studying the impact of pro-social practices on the social solidarity of society after the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the study was pro-social practices and processes of social solidarity in a pandemic. The research methods were electronic diaries of participants in pro-social practices and their publications on social networks about which events they took part in. As a result of the study, we found that a decrease in habitual activity led to a desire to seek additional activity, its main motives are four key meanings of prosocial activity (care for others, participation in socially useful activities, the opportunity to share one’s experience and knowledge, form social capital, be useful and needed by other people). Among pro-socially active people, a high level of trust in the government has been established, which was formed during the pandemic and continues to this day as an internal confidence in the correctness of decisions made at any level, while fear as a social phenomenon that took shape during the start of the pandemic now continues, but is transforming into new levels and forms of anxiety. The key role of negative emotional experiences and emotional stress is emphasized, the counterbalance (struggle) against which was participation in prosocial practices, emphasis is placed on strengthening the best and worst qualities of a person in a pandemic and participation in prosocial activities, this either enhances positive or smooths out negative qualities. It is also concluded that education and health are more important than consumption, this determines the format of new meaningful life guidelines for participants in pro-social practices. The novelty of this study lies in the conclusion that the consequence of the new living conditions after the pandemic are alternative behaviors, new meanings of life and life scenarios. The prospect of further research is to monitor the more distant consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, their impact on social identity and community solidarity.

Can repeated and reflective prosocial experiences in sport increase generosity in adolescent athletes?

ABSTRACT In partnership with a sport-based Experiential Philanthropy Intervention – The Play Better Program – we conducted a pre-registered, longitudinal experiment examining whether repeatedly reflecting on prosocial activity could boost adolescents’ objective generosity. Adolescents (N = 114; aged 9–16) practiced charitable giving throughout their 2-month sports season and were randomly assigned to repeatedly reflect on the importance of their prosocial activity (Reflection condition) or to write about their everyday activities (Control condition). Adolescents completed an objective measure of generosity at pre- and post-intervention and self-reported measures of prosocial character. Across conditions, adolescents donated objectively more at post- vs. pre-intervention. However, adolescents in the Reflection (vs. Control) condition were no more generous and did not report greater prosocial character at post-intervention. Overall, these findings highlight the malleability of human prosociality and the need for additional scholar-practitioner collaborations to uncover whether and how Experiential Philanthropy Interventions boost long-term generosity among the next generation of givers.

Supplemental Material for Longitudinal Associations of Volunteering, Grandparenting, and Family Care With Processing Speed: A Gender Perspective on Prosocial Activity and Cognitive Aging in the Second Half of Life

Supplemental Material for Longitudinal Associations of Volunteering, Grandparenting, and Family Care With Processing Speed: A Gender Perspective on Prosocial Activity and Cognitive Aging in the Second Half of Life

PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR OF TEENAGERS IN SOCIAL NETWORKS

Relevance. Prosocial behavior in social networks is a manifestation of digital socialization, which includes voluntary behavior in an online environment in order to benefi t specifi c people or promote harmonious relationships with others. Prosociality on the Internet includes the exchange of resources and information, emotional support and online help. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the frequency and manifestations of prosocial experience of adolescents in social networks. Research methods. To assess prosocial behavior in online mode, the self-reporting methodology “Online prosocial behavior of adolescents” (OPBS) S. Erreygers, , and scales of performing and receiving prosocial behavior online were used. Sample.  teenagers aged - (M=.) from secondary schools and colleges of the Ivanovo region took part in the survey. The main results. The study showed that () adolescents have experience of performing prosocial behavior on the Internet above average (M= out of ); () adolescents perform prosocial behavior online more often than they receive it in response (by %); () teenage girls perform and receive prosocial behavior more often than teenage boys (by .% and %, respectively); () the most frequent type of prosocial behavior in social networks is emotional support for others (I cheered someone up) and relationship support (I said friendly words to someone, I made a compliment), the least frequent is an open display of sympathy (I made it clear that I like him) and help with homework at school (I helped with homework). Conclusion. The prosocial activity of adolescents in social networks, as well as in offl ine mode, is aimed at maintaining interpersonal relationships with peers and is less associated with assistance in educational activities. Prosocial online contacts promote safe behavior in social networks, increase the social capital of adolescents, and serve as a means of preventing Internet risks.

The impact of Covid-19 on the pro-social activity of small and medium companies

The impact of Covid-19 on the pro-social activity of small and medium companies

АЛЬТРУЇЗМ: ДУХОВНІ ТА РЕЛІГІЙНІ АСПЕКТИ

The article presents the results of the investigation of the essence of altruism through the prism of religion as an integral part of spirituality. Here are presented scientific views about spiritual and religious aspects in the research of altruistic behavior of people. Based on the fact that modern societies, for whom material well-being and consumption have become the highest good, comes to the fore the problem of deficiency of spiritual manifestations and high morality, humanity and selfless help to others. Therefore, in the scientific community, as never before, there is an urgent need to study the "eternal" topic of spirituality, subjective well-being of the personality, expression of her spiritual and ethical qualities, manifestations of personality altruistic behavior in relation to the surrounding world. The growing interest in altruism and its manifestation in spiritual and religious life is the basis for investigation of the scientific works of thinkers and scientists of different periods. Spirituality and religionism, which are often perceived as identical and interchangeable concepts, are actually different. Spirituality is related to the personal search for the meaning of life. Religion refers to an organized social institution, focused on supreme forces and conducts rituals and various practices. It has been established that spiritual and ethical qualities are included: kindness; mercy; compassion; forgiveness; humility, honesty, generosity etc. These qualities are obviously connected with religiosity, with empathy and wisdom and life-affirming meanings. This list doesn't include altruism due to insufficient study of this topic. "Where does altruism, as a phenomenon of the spirit, come out of a person?" The answer to this question can be found in two opposite directions: biological and cultural, which are briefly described in the article. Сultural altruism becomes possible in a community that focuses on spiritual values or in religious cooperation. In this context, emphasis is made on the fundamental work "Culture and Ethics" by A. Schweitzer, which is an example of service to humanity. Valuable in the religious aspect is D. Johnson's hypothesis, which provides an explanation of the evolutionary significance of religion and the manifestation of altruism through the prism of supernatural punishment. Important for the understanding and interpretation of religious altruism became the interpretation of these concepts: religion, religiosity, appeal to religion, as well as interpretation of the concept of altruism and the derived term "altruistic behavior". It is classified as one of the forms of prosocial behavior, when concern for the welfare of others is shown without expecting a reward. An example of prosocial activity is the professional activity of a churchman. This article focuses on personal qualities and activities of a religious figure and indicates his altruistic behavior in his own inner spiritual growth and constant service to the religious cult. The scientific ınvestıgatıon was conducted and became the basis for further research, also identified directions and determined the importance and depth of this problem.

Volunteering of students: Social meaning and basis of motivated refusal

Introduction. The relevance of the study is associated with the need for scientific understanding of youth volunteering, deepening ideas about its educational potential, which is realised in the education system. In the context of international and national studies, it is important to evaluate the volunteer participation of the younger generation, its social effects on society. The social effectiveness of volunteering is a necessary condition, the result of educational activities organised in the educational environment. The study meets the practical request to determine the conditions for changing the qualitative characteristics of students volunteering with an active agenda of state assistance to the pro-social activity of the youth in the Russian Federation. Understanding the motivation, intentions and real opportunities for volunteer participation of high school students and students is important for improving the effectiveness of solving the task of increasing the social activity of young people, defined in the framework of the state youth policy.Aim. The article aimed to concretise the social significance of the volunteer participation of high school students and students and to determine the conditions for overcoming the motivated refusal of youth volunteering in the educational environment in order to increase the effectiveness of its organisation.Methodology and research methods. The methodological basis of the article is a set of theoretical ideas about the formation of social solidarity and stimulation of pro-social behaviour of young people. The theory of social participation has received a certain development in the article. The article is based on the materials of the authors’ research projects implemented in 2017–2020 in the Sverdlovsk region. Having used the questionnaire method, the authors analysed the data of a mass survey of young people in the Sverdlovsk region from 14 to 24 years old from 81 settlements of the region. A representative sample consisted of 1105 people, the error is no more than 3,5%. The sample was based on four quotas: gender, age, the main type of employment (school, college, and university) and type of city by population.Results and scientific novelty. The study showed that while maintaining a large number of students with experience in volunteering, the number of those, who consciously refuse or doubt that they will be engaged in volunteering in their future, increases. In recent years, the number of those, who have gained volunteering experience through initiatives in educational institutions, has increased significantly. The involvement of young Uralians in social projects has decreased. The study proves that the voluntary activity of young people is a necessary condition for the accumulation of social capital in territorial communities. The involvement of schoolchildren and students in youth organisations, in socio-cultural urban life is an important and necessary condition for effective volunteer participation of young people. It was revealed that volunteer experience is directly related to student interest in public life. It is proved that high school students and students with volunteer experience and intentions to continue it are more likely to be involved in the social and political life of their city or village than those who do not have such experience.Practical significance. In schools, colleges and universities, there is an important task of organising not only the educational process, but also educational activities. When requesting mass youth participation and the typicality of socially significant events, it is important to understand the conditions when the qualitative characteristics of volunteering by young citizens as members of the local community are being developed.

Whose Interest Really Matters? The Role of NGOs’ Representatives within Local Advisory Councils in Poland

The article shows the results of empirical research conducted among members of advisory councils operating in Polish cities. The study covers five types of councils: councils of NGOs, senior citizen councils, councils for residents with disabilities, labor market councils, and sports councils. The author focuses mainly on advisory council members who are also NGO representatives. Thus, they have a twofold role: a member of a collegial advisory body, which is supposed to consult local authorities, and a representative of an NGO. The article aims to reveal the motives for engaging NGOs’ representatives in social council activities. Considering the specific character of the NGO sector in Poland, one may expect that membership within social councils will become an arena for pushing the interests of NGOs. However, research results show that the motivations for involvement in social council activities do not have clientelistic patterns. The members of the councils are motivated by similar factors as in other forms of prosocial activity, which may be divided into normative, rational, and affiliative-prestigious. Council members are aware of their double role. They, therefore, distance themselves from the possibility of achieving individual (private) benefits or benefits for the NGO they are associated with. Their membership in councils is motivated primarily by a sense of duty to the group or the organization they represent or local authorities, taking part in the decision-making, and being a member of the prestigious group of experts they consider advisory councils to be.

Саморегуляция волонтерской деятельности молодежи или факторы неучастия молодых волонтеров в социальных проектах

The article is devoted to the conditions for the formation of the prosocial activity of the young generation in Russia. With the mobilization nature of the youth policy aimed at involving a wide range of Russian youth in mass social and cultural projects, it is important to assess the processes of self-regulation of volunteer participation in the youth environment and analyze the adaptation of young people to the mass social event agenda. The volunteer activity of young people is considered in the logic of the formation of a volunteering culture in the interaction of volunteers and organizers of social projects. The culture of volunteer participation of young Russians is analyzed through the study of how young people integrate or exclude volunteering in their life plans. The authors analyze the results of a sociological survey of young people in the Sverdlovsk region aged 14 to 24 years, conducted in 2020 (N=1105, the sample is quota). The assessments of young people and girls regarding their participation in so-cial projects, which they identify as the best and most effective, are studied. The characteristics of the organization in these projects are revealed, which influence the intentions of young volunteers to be involved in such projects and continue to volun-teering in their future. The study revealed the role of leaders and initiators of social projects, whose activity has a certain impact on the motivation and features of youth volunteer participation in social projects. According to the results of the study, the problem associated with the unwillingness of a significant part of young volunteers to take responsibility is identified, possibly associated, on the one hand, with their so-cio-psychological characteristics, on the other, with the conditions that are created during the implementation of many typical mass social projects and actions for young people as consumers of youth policy.