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Is spending money on others good for your heart?
Ashley V Whillans1, Elizabeth W Dunn1, Gillian M Sandstrom1
1Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia.
Insights
Spending money on others, known as prosocial spending, can significantly improve cardiovascular health in older adults with high blood pressure. This behavior offers a pathway to better physical health for at-risk populations.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiovascular Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- High blood pressure is a significant health concern for community-dwelling older adults.
- The link between prosocial behavior and physical health outcomes requires further investigation, particularly in at-risk populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether prosocial spending impacts cardiovascular health in older adults with hypertension.
- To determine if spending money on others can lower blood pressure in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Examined 186 older adults with high blood pressure from the Midlife in the U.S. Study (MIDUS).
- Study 2: Assigned 73 older adults with high blood pressure to either spend money on others or themselves for three consecutive weeks.
Main Results:
- A positive correlation was observed between spending money on others and lower blood pressure in Study 1.
- Participants assigned to spend money on others showed reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure in Study 2.
- The observed blood pressure reductions were comparable to those from antihypertensive medication or exercise.
Conclusions:
- Prosocial spending positively influences cardiovascular health in older adults with high blood pressure.
- Spending money on others provides a mechanism through which prosocial behavior can enhance physical health in at-risk older adults.
Objective:
Does spending money on others (prosocial spending) improve the cardiovascular health of community-dwelling older adults diagnosed with high blood pressure?
Method:
In Study 1, 186 older adults diagnosed with high blood pressure participating in the Midlife in the U.S. Study (MIDUS) were examined. In Study 2, 73 older adults diagnosed with high blood pressure were assigned to spend money on others or to spend money on themselves.
Results:
In Study 1, the more money people spent on others, the lower their blood pressure was 2 years later. In Study 2, participants who were assigned to spend money on others for 3 consecutive weeks subsequently exhibited lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to participants assigned to spend money on themselves. The magnitude of these effects was comparable to the effects of interventions such as antihypertensive medication or exercise.
Conclusions:
Together, these findings suggest that spending money on others shapes cardiovascular health, thereby providing a pathway by which prosocial behavior improves physical health among at-risk older adults. (PsycINFO Database Record
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