Когда помощь в радость: модераторы взаимосвязи просоциального поведения и удовлетворенности жизнью

Социологический журнал. 2022. Т. 28. № 3. С. 57–71.

Nastina E.

The principal aim of this article is to explore the mechanism of association between informal helping behavior and life satisfaction among Russians. It especially focuses on the potential moderating role of the relationship closeness between the agent and the beneficiary, as well as the values ​​and demographic characteristics of the agent. To test the main hypotheses, multiple regression analysis is applied to online survey data (N=732) with respondents sampled from a big consumer panel. As expected, a significant positive relationship was observed between cognitive component of subjective well-being and the self-reported frequency of helping both strong ties and strangers, with the association being more pronounced in the former case. At the same time, the effect of prosocial action towards relatives and friends appeared to vary depending on the value orientation ​​and age of the respondent: in older people (51+), as well as those who attach greater importance to the equal treatment of all people (high score on Universalism), helping relatives is less associated with subjective well-being. As far as the positive effect of helping strangers on life satisfaction is concerned, no significant moderation effects were detected, which indicates its relative universality. The potential implications for kindness interventions and volunteer recruitment as well as the prospects for future research are discussed in the conclusion.

Keywords: базовые ценности, удовлетворенность жизнью, basic human values, просоциальное поведение, prosocial behavior, life satisfaction

Publication based on the results of: Attitudes and Behavior of Individuals in Social, Regional, and Cultural Dimensions (2022)