Daily Ups and Downs

An Event-Sampling Study of the Mediated Moderation of Prosocial Engagement on Well-Being

Bibliographic Data

ID21210024
AuthorsBryant P H Hui (0000-0003-3063-9297, University of Cambridge, corresponding author), Aleksandr Kogan (0000-0002-3147-8053, University of Cambridge)
Year2018
Volume9
Issue6
Pages675-688
Publication date2018-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial Psychological and Personality Science (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1948-5506 • E-ISSN: 1948-5514
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1948550617722197
OpenAlexW2740367201
LanguageEN
Citations received17
References cited33

Numerous studies have shown that acting prosocially promotes the altruist’s well-being. What has been less clear, however, is when the effect is the strongest and what mechanism is behind the well-being benefits of prosocial action. We asked a community sample ( N = 383) to record their prosocial engagement, well-being levels, and autonomy, relatedness, and competence 4 times daily for 2 weeks using an app-based event-sampling method. We found that only one’s competence—and neither autonomy nor relatedness—at one time point ( t − 1) moderated the effect of prosocial engagement on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being at a subsequent time point ( t). Specifically, when participants reported lower competence levels at t − 1, the relationship between acting prosocially and well-being was stronger at t. We further demonstrated that this interaction was mediated by competence levels at t

Autonomy · Developmental psychology · Eudaimonia · Prosocial behavior · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology · Social Psychology