Mechanisms of Self-Control in the Influence of Moral Elevation on Pro-Social Behavior: A Study Based on an Experimental Paradigm

Abstract

Introduction: Because the mechanisms by which moral elevation triggers an individual’s pro-social behavior remain unclear, this study examined the mediating role of self-control resources in the relationship between moral elevation and pro-social behavior. Methods: Experiment 1 examined the effects of moral elevation on self-control resources using two task paradigms, the Stroop task and the Go/NoGo task, with 80 college students as study participants. Experiment 2 was conducted with an additional 140 college students, using both experimental and questionnaire methods to examine the mediating role of self-control resources in the effects of moral elevation on pro-social behavior. Results: (1) The results of Experiment 1 showed that the self-control ability of the moral elevation induction group was significantly better than that of the non-induction group. The accuracy rate of self-control tasks in the induction group (0.94 ± 0.01) was significantly higher than that in the non-induction group (0.89 ± 0.01, F(1,79)=19.10, p <0.001, η2=0.50). The mean reaction time of the self-control tasks in the induction group (393.63 ± 3.5) was significantly lower than that in the non-induction group (415.38 ±7.30, F(1,79)=5.87, p =0.026, η2=0.24). (2) The results of Experiment 2 showed a significant positive correlation between moral elevation and self-control resources (r=0.46, p<0.001), a significant positive correlation between moral elevation and pro-social behavior (r=0.33, p<0.001), and a significant positive correlation between self-control resources and pro-social behavior (r=0.31, p<0.001). Not only did moral elevation significantly and positively predict pro-social behavior (β= 0.23, p=0.011), but it also significantly and positively predicted self-control resources (β= 0.46, p<0.001). Self-control resources significantly and positively predicted pro-social behavior (β= 0.20, p=0.025). The bootstrap test for the mediating effect of self-control resources showed that the upper and lower limits of the 95% confidence interval did not include 0 (indirect effect 0.09, 95% CI [0.023, 0.242], p<0.001), and the mediating effect accounted for 28.13%. Conclusion: This study revealed the mediating role of self-control resources in the relationship between moral elevation and pro-social behavior, which has important theoretical and practical implications for cultivating pro-social behavior and moral education among college students.