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.