Academic literature on the topic 'Physical social prosociality'

Social cohesion relies on prosociality in increasingly aging populations. Helping other people requires effort, yet how willing people are to exert effort to benefit themselves and others, and whether such behaviors shift across the life span, is poorly understood. Using computational modeling, we tested the willingness of 95 younger adults (18–36 years old) and 92 older adults (55–84 years old) to put physical effort into self- and other-benefiting acts. Participants chose whether to work and exert force (30%–70% of maximum grip strength) for rewards (2–10 credits) accrued for themselves or, prosocially, for another. Younger adults were somewhat selfish, choosing to work more at higher effort levels for themselves, and exerted less force in prosocial work. Strikingly, compared with younger adults, older people were more willing to put in effort for others and exerted equal force for themselves and others. Increased prosociality in older people has important implications for human behavior and societal structure.

Past research suggests that children favour their in-group members over out-group members as indicated by selective prosociality such as sharing or social inclusion. This preregistered study examined how playing a cooperative, competitive or solitary game influences German 4- to 6-year-olds’ in-group bias and their general willingness to act prosocially, independent of the recipient's group membership ( N = 144). After playing the game, experimenters introduced minimal groups and assessed children's sharing with an in-group and an out-group member as well as their social inclusion of an out-group member into an in-group interaction. Furthermore, we assessed children's physical engagement and parents' social dominance orientation (SDO)—a scale indicating the preference for inequality among social groups—to learn more about inter-individual differences in children's prosocial behaviours. Results suggest that children showed a stronger physical engagement while playing competitively as compared with cooperatively or alone. The different gaming contexts did not impact children's subsequent in-group bias or general willingness to act prosocially. Parental SDO was not linked to children's prosocial behaviours. These results indicate that competition can immediately affect children's behaviour while playing but raise doubt on the importance of cooperative and competitive play for children's subsequent intergroup and prosocial behaviour.

Abstract Previous literature has shown age-related increases in prosociality (i.e., the tendency to engage in behaviors that benefit others). Can such age-related differences be observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, or would young adults’ higher levels of COVID-19-related stress alter the relation between age and prosociality given the prior findings that stress may promote prosocial behaviors? Can empathy, one of the factors highly related to prosociality, explain any observed age-related differences? The current study examined the above questions, as well as whether age differences exist in target of prosocial behaviors (i.e., distant- versus close-others). To this end, participants (aged 18-89) enrolled in an ongoing study examining their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were asked to complete a series of surveys on dispositional empathy and prosocial behaviors during the pandemic. In the present analyses, the data were used from 330 participants from the USA who completed all of the surveys. Compared to younger adults, results indicate that older adults showed greater prosocial behaviors during the pandemic despite their higher risk of physical-health complications from COVID-19. Unexpectedly, empathy did not explain such age-related increases in prosocial behaviors even though it was positively related to individuals’ prosociality. Interestingly, older adults reported increased prosocial behaviors towards close-others (i.e., family, friends) compared to young adults, suggesting that older adults seem to devote more resources into emotionally meaningful relationships. The current study contributes to our understanding of how prosociality differs with age during the stressful period of need that marks the COVID-19 pandemic.

El presente estudio analiza en un centro público adscrito a un Programa de Compensación Educativa cómo influyen el género, el curso y las necesidades educativas de apoyo educativo (NEAE) en la responsabilidad en educación física, violencia escolar y prosocialidad. Participaron 120 estudiantes con una edad media de 14.40 años (DT = 1.67), de los cuales 62 estaban diagnosticados con alguna NEAE (51.7%) y 58 no requería atención especial (48.3%). Los resultados indican tan solo diferencias entre alumnos que precisan diferente atención educativa en la responsabilidad personal en educación física. El género y el curso mostraron ser variables influyentes en la responsabilidad social en EF y prosocialidad. No se hallaron diferencias en la violencia escolar percibida para las variables analizadas. A partir de los datos recabados se aportan consideraciones prácticas para la intervención educativa con estudiantes en riesgo de exclusión social. This work analyses, in a public educational centre associated to a Compensatory Education Programme how gender, the academic year and educational needs of educational support (SNES) influence responsibility in physical education, school violence and prosociality. 120 students took part in the project, age of 14.40 years (SD = 1.67), 62 out of them had been diagnosed with some SNES (51.7%) and 58 did not require any special support (48.3%). Results showed only differences among students who needed different educational attention in personal responsibility in physical education. Both gender and the academic year showed influential variables in social responsibility in physical education and prosociality. No differences were found in perceived school violence for the analised variables. Based on the data collected, practical considerations are provided for educational intervention with students at risk of social exclusion.

AbstractPopulation aging is a global phenomenon with substantial implications across society1,2. Prosocial behaviors—actions that benefit others—promote mental and physical health across the lifespan3,4 and can save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined whether age predicts prosociality in a preregistered global study (46,576 people aged 18–99 across 67 countries) using two acutely relevant measures: distancing during COVID-19 and willingness to donate to hypothetical charities. Age positively predicted prosociality on both measures, with increased distancing and donations among older adults. However, older adults were more in-group focused than younger adults in choosing who to help, making larger donations to national over international charities and reporting increased in-group preferences. In-group preferences helped explain greater national over international donations. Results were robust to several control analyses and internal replication. Our findings have vital implications for predicting the social and economic impacts of aging populations, increasing compliance with public health measures and encouraging charitable donations.

El objetivo de esta investigación fue conocer los valores socio-educativos (autonomía/responsabilidad, prosocialidad y satisfacción/diversión) en las competiciones de fútbol federado en el contexto de las categorías de formación en la provincia de Sevilla. Para ello, participaron padres (n=31), entrenadores (n=44) y jugadores (n=33) de diferentes clubes de fútbol base de la provincia de Sevilla. Como instrumento de evaluación se utilizó el cuestionario “Deporteduca”. En el cuestionario se analizaron variables como la influencia social del triángulo que participa en el proceso de formación del niño formador-niño-familia, la medición del nivel de compromiso y el esfuerzo. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron tendencias positivas en todas las dimensiones analizadas. Por lo tanto, se puede concluir, atendiendo a los resultados del estudio, que el fútbol es un recurso muy útil para fomentar los valores de autonomía, respeto, prosocialidad y diversión en los niños y niñas que se educan a través de esta práctica deportiva. Abstract: the objective of this research was to know the socio-educational values (autonomy / responsibility, prosociality and satisfaction / fun) in soccer competitions in the context of training categories in the province of Seville. For this, parents (n=31), coaches (n=44) and players (n=33) from different youth soccer clubs in the province of Seville participated. The “Deporteduca” questionnaire was used as an evaluation instrument. Variables such as the social influence of the trainer-child-family triangle, the measurement of the level of commitment and effort, were analyzed in the questionnaire. The results obtained showed positive trends in all the dimensions analyzed. Therefore, it can be concluded, taking into account the results of the study, that soccer is a very useful resource to promote the values of autonomy, respect, prosociality and fun in the boys and girls who are educated through this sport.

Introduction. The evolution of mutual help and cooperation in humans has been actively analyzed using the methods of ethology, psychology, anthropometry and genetics. The goal of this study was to identify associations between the finger index (2D:4D), the rs53576 polymorphism of the OXTR gene, gender and age with a willingness to help others and adherence to certain cultural standards in Russian schoolchildren of Caucasian origin. Materials and methods. The samples for this study were collected in the schools of the city Ussuriysk (Primorsky Krai) and the city Yelizovo (Kamchatka Krai) in 2015-2019. The total sample size was 853 (416 boys and 437 girls), represented exclusively by children of European origin. The average age of the participants was 14.2 ± 1.6 years (ranged from 10 to 18 years). Data collection methods included: questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, and collection of DNA samples (buccal epithelium or saliva). The data were analyzed using the SPSS-27 software package. Results. Significant differences were obtained for the finger index, 2D:4D, three scales of the Bass-Perry aggression questionnaire (anger, hostility, physical aggression), the generalized Baron-Cohen empathy coefficient and Boyko's level of empathy, dominance and social success, self-esteem, attitudes towards helping others. Readiness to help relatives was significantly associated with the GG variant of OXTR_rs53576 gene polymorphism. Adherence to moral norms (the weak need to be protected) was significantly associated with the finger index. Discussion. The results of our study indicate the significant gender differences in masculinity, including the 2D:4D ratio on the right and left hands, self-assessments of dominance and social status, one's own role in the group, attitudes towards aggression and related (group) solidarity. Boys performed more expressed self-assessments on physical aggression, and showed more parochialism, declaring a willingness to take the side of friends (relatives), regardless of who was right in the conflict and a willingness to follow cultural standards, concerning protection of the weakest. Girls outperformed boys in emotionality, and gave higher scores on anger and hostility. Our data, in combination with the findings of other authors, demonstrate the association of the homozygous variant GG OXTR_rs53576 with prosociality, altruism, and help.

Introduction. Today, there is an increase in the risks of involving minors in various forms of deviant behaviour, among the varieties of which addictive behavioural models are particularly dangerous. In this regard, proactive preventive measures are becoming particularly relevant, among which one of the key areas is the timely identification of potential addicts, including among students of educational organisations.Aim. The aim of the study was to identify the actual socio-psychological characteristics of the personality of underage students who are prone to addictive behaviour.Methodology and research methods. The comparative-analytical method of working with scientific literature presented in eLIBRARY.RU, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases was used as the main theoretical method. When organising the study, the authors relied on a number of methodological provisions: the structural method, when the research material is interpreted in accordance with the specific characteristics of the object of study; the method of comparisons, which consists in comparing individual results with each other. The main empirical method was the testing method. To obtain the results of the study, the authors employed a unified methodology of socio-psychological testing aimed at the identification of the risk of formation of addictive behaviour in minors. For mathematical and statistical data processing, the Statistics SPSS 19.0 package was applied: the Kolmogorov-Smirnov Dmax criterion (for boys and girls separately and jointly), the Mann-Whitney U test, regression analysis, analysis of averages, confidence and percentile intervals. Also, the factor analysis method was used – the principal component method, Varimax rotation. The stability of factors was calculated using the Lewandowski’s method. The study was conducted in different regions of Russia in 2019–2020. The sample consisted of 6,300 people.Results. Based on the analysis of scientific sources, the authors described the epidemiological picture of various forms of addictive behaviour of minors, the differences between male and female samples (young men demonstrate a greater desire for leadership, protest reactions, rivalry, and girls are more anxious, frustrated, focused on internal experiences), the interrelationships between the scales of the methodology and the poles of the selected factor structure from the point of view of asociality and prosociality of juvenile behaviour (desire for risk, social maladjustment, avoidance of conflict and others).Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty of the results is due to the receipt of relevant data on the specifics of the socio-psychological characteristics of modern adolescents and young men prone to addictive behaviour.Practical significance. The practical significance lies in the fact that the identified socio-psychological characteristics of the behaviour of a person prone to addictive behaviour can become the main planning work on the early detection of a tendency to addictive behaviour, organisation of preventive work with imperfect-year-olds, as well as for the organisation of psychological work with students at risk.

Previous research has discussed the effects of monetary incentives and prosociality on deceptive behavior. However, research has not comprehensively investigated the relationship between these two factors. In the current research, we introduce a repeated two-player sender–receiver binary choice task, where players in the role of senders or receivers receive asymmetric information regarding payoffs, offering the opportunity to explore the effects of economic incentives to lie according to the players’ prosociality. In Experiment 1, players are paired to play the game as a sender or receiver online. We find that economic incentives determine the likelihood of deception from senders and the likelihood that receivers will deviate from the received suggestions. Moreover, prosociality is related to players’ behavior: Prosocial senders send less deceptive messages and prosocial receivers choose options that benefit senders more. Furthermore, senders display consistent behavior when interacting with receivers, and they do not change their deceptive behavior even if detected by receivers. Experiment 2 further investigates how the players’ behavior corresponds to their understanding and interpretation of the other players’ actions, by pairing players with computer algorithms that display consistent probabilistic behaviors. We observe that senders deceive receiver algorithms by sending truthful messages when they expect the message not to be followed, and receivers follow the received messages by choosing the option that benefits “honest” sender algorithms. While we find a consistent result that prosocial senders send fewer deceptive messages than they should when telling the truth is costly, prosocial receivers are less considerate of sender payoffs in algorithms’ interaction.

The work presented in this thesis collects three fMRI studies mainly focusing on empathy, i.e. the capacity to understand and/or share the emotional state of others. Empathy is central to human sociality, as it allows us to resonate with others’ positive and negative feeling, and consequently adjust our behavior. Despite recent research has shed light on many feature of empathic responses, we still ignore many other aspects: for instance, which kind of computational processes are executed by empathy ́s neural substrates, how empathic responses vary according to the type of observed experience, which neurochemical mechanisms are at the core of empathic responses, or also what is the link between empathic responses and the tendency to behave altruistically (usually referred to as ‘prosocial behavior’). The purpose of the work presented in this thesis is providing answers to some of the open questions. In Study 1 we aimed at understanding what are the neural substrates of empathy for social pain, a kind of pain that is constantly grabbing increasingly attention among social neuroscientists, and to which extent they overlap with the ones coding for physical pain. In Study 2 we investigated brain correlates of prosocial behavior by exploring functional connectivity within brain networks of participants who exhibited either a self-benefit behavior or an altruistic one in a life-threatening situation simulated in a virtual environment. In Study 3 we used a placebo manipulation on a group of participants undergoing first- hand and vicarious painful stimulations in order to observe how the supposed enhancement of endogenous opioids release would affect their behavioral and neurophysiological responses to the painful experience. Overall, the work presented in this thesis advances the knowledge on both empathy and prosociality mechanisms and opens the way for new investigations aiming at clarifying key aspects of social behavior.