[The influence of prosocial behaviors on evaluations of morality and warmth].

Abstract

This study examined the influence of prosocial behaviors on evaluations of morality and warmth. There were four patterns of interaction: positive reciprocity (with both cost and benefit), only-cost (with cost but without benefit), negative reciprocity (without either cost or benefit), and only-benefit (with benefit but without cost). Three-hundred-fourteen undergraduate students participated in this study. The participants read an example of interaction and evaluated the actors’ morality and warmth. Results of one-way ANOVA showed that the ratings of morality and warmth differed significantly between the conditions. There was no significant difference of perceived morality between only-cost and positive reciprocity. In contrast, warmth was evaluated higher in only-cost than in positive reciprocity. This suggests that people evaluated morality and warmth differently depending on whether the prosocial behavior was obligatory or optional.