University of Twente Student Theses
Wat is bevorderlijker voor het welbevinden: prosociale activiteiten doen voor familie of vrienden of prosociale activiteiten doen voor vreemden?
Geerdink, S.M.J. (2019) Wat is bevorderlijker voor het welbevinden: prosociale activiteiten doen voor familie of vrienden of prosociale activiteiten doen voor vreemden?
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| Abstract: | Background: Research suggests that the measure in which prosocial behavior promotes well-being and decreases depressive symptoms might differ depending on the recipient. In this study we examined whether a four-week prosocial intervention was effective in enhancing mental well-being and decreasing depressive symptoms and if the intervention was more effective when the recipients were family or friends than if the recipient was a stranger. Methods: A total of 222 second-year psychology students (67.1% female, age M=22) were randomly assigned to the condition ‘doing prosocial activities for family or friends’(n=76), the condition ‘doing prosocial activities for strangers’(n=76), or the condition ‘doing prosocial activities for others’ (n=70). Participants completed online questionnaires at baseline and at 4 weeks. Results: Repeated measures mixed ANOVA revealed significant more improvement on well-being in the three conditions (F (1,64) =7.99, p=.006, η2p=.111) but no significant decrease on depressive symptoms. Our results did not reveal that doing prosocial activities for family or friends leads to significant more well-being or less depressive symptoms than doing prosocial activities for strangers. Conclusion: This study confirms previous research that proved that prosocial behavior increases well-being. This study was however unable to confirm that doing prosocial activities for family of friends promotes more well-being and causes a higher decrease in depressive symptoms than doing prosocial activities for strangers. Future evidence is needed to verify if and when the effect of prosocial behavior on well-being and depressive symptoms might be larger or smaller depending on who the recipient is. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/77935 |
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