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Sidestepping The Rock And The Hard Place: The Private Avoidance Of Prosocial Requests, Stephanie C. Lin, Rebecca L. Schaumberg, Taly Reich
Sidestepping The Rock And The Hard Place: The Private Avoidance Of Prosocial Requests, Stephanie C. Lin, Rebecca L. Schaumberg, Taly Reich
Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business
For some, facing a prosocial request feels like being trapped between a rock and a hard place, requiring either a resource (e.g., money) or psychological (e.g., self-reproach) cost. Because both outcomes are dissatisfying, we propose that these people are motivated to avoid prosocial requests, even when they face these requests in private, anonymous contexts. In two experiments, in which participants' anonymity and privacy was assured, participants avoided facing prosocial requests and were willing to do so at a personal cost. This was true both for people who would have otherwise complied with the request and those who would have otherwise …
Eyes Wide Open: Only Eyes That Pay Attention Promote Prosocial Behavior, Zoi Manesi, Paul A. M. Van Lange, Thomas V. Pollet
Eyes Wide Open: Only Eyes That Pay Attention Promote Prosocial Behavior, Zoi Manesi, Paul A. M. Van Lange, Thomas V. Pollet
Research Collection School of Social Sciences
Research from evolutionary psychology suggests that the mere presence of eye images can promote prosocial behavior. However, the "eye images effect'' is a source of considerable debate, and findings across studies have yielded somewhat inconsistent support. We suggest that one critical factor may be whether the eyes really need to be watching to effectively enhance prosocial behavior. In three experiments, we investigated the impact of eye images on prosocial behavior, assessed in a laboratory setting. Participants were randomly assigned to view an image of watching eyes (eyes with direct gaze), an image of nonwatching eyes (i.e., eyes closed for Study …