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Prosocial behavior in aging: which factors can explain age-related differences in social-economic decision making?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 February 2019

Alessia Rosi Open the ORCID record for Alessia Rosi [Opens in a new window] ,
Marta Nola ,
Serena Lecce  and
Elena Cavallini
Alessia Rosi*
Affiliation:
Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
Marta Nola
Affiliation:
Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
Serena Lecce
Affiliation:
Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
Elena Cavallini
Affiliation:
Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Alessia Rosi, Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, P.zza Botta 6, Pavia 27100, Italy. Phone: +39 0382 986133; Fax: +39 0382 986132. Email: alessia.rosi@ateneopv.it.
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Abstract

Objectives:

Older adults tend to exhibit more prosocial behavior than younger adults. However, little research has focused on understanding the factors that may explain such differences in the social decision-making process. The first aim was to examine if, and to what degree, the content of social information about a recipient has an impact on young vs. older adults’ prosocial behavior. The second aim was to understand if empathic concern, Theory of Mind, and reasoning explain the (expected) age differences in prosociality.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

The study was conducted in northern Italy in a laboratory setting.

Participants:

Forty-eight younger adults (Mage = 23.29; SD = 2.20) and 48 older adults (Mage = 70.19; SD = 5.13).

Measurements:

Prosocial behavior was measured using the Dictator Game in which participants split a sum of money with recipients presented with four levels of description: no information, physical description, positive psychological description, and negative psychological description. In addition, participants performed tasks on emphatic concern, Theory of Mind, and reasoning.

Results:

Results showed that older adults are more prosocial than younger adults in the Dictator Game. This finding was evident when the recipient was described with positive psychological and physical features. This pattern of results was statistically explained by the reduction in reasoning ability.

Conclusion:

These findings suggest a relationship between age-related reduction in reasoning ability and older adults’ prosocial behavior. The theoretical and practical implication of the empirical findings are discussed.

Keywords

agingsocial-economic decision makingDictator Gamecognitionreasoningtheory of mindempathyindividual differences
Type
Original Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 31 , Issue 12: Issue Theme: Assessment of Cognitive Impairment in East Asia , December 2019 , pp. 1747 - 1757
Copyright
© International Psychogeriatric Association 2019 

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