Compassionate goals, prosocial emotions, and prosocial behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT: During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important for people to engage in prosocial behaviours to support one another. The aim of this research is to answer a key question: in a social crisis, what motivates Americans to help others? Guided by research on appraisal theories and ecosystem theory, we examined the role of compassionate goals and prosocial emotions in promoting prosocial behaviours towards either out-group or in-group members. Study 1 (N = 943) was conducted in February 2020, before the widespread transmission of COVID-19 began in the United States. Results show that people with high compassionate goals are more likely to experience sympathy, which in turn makes them more willing to help people suffering from COVID-19 in China. Study 2 (N = 1,009) was conducted with

SUBMITTER: Yue Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8014830 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May-Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature