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A role for affect in the link between episodic simulation and prosociality.
Brendan Gaesser1, Haley D DiBiase1, Elizabeth A Kensinger1,2
1a Department of Psychology , University at Albany, State University of New York , Albany , NY , USA.
Memory (Hove, England)
|November 15, 2016
Summary
Imagining future helping events, especially positive ones, increases people's willingness to help others. This is linked to enhanced empathy and mental simulation of the situation.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Social Psychology
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Prospection and prosociality are key human traits.
- The link between future event simulation and prosocial behavior is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how simulating future prosocial events influences willingness to help.
- To explore the role of affect and theory of mind in this process.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted.
- Participants simulated future helping events with varying affective valence (positive, negative, neutral).
- Reported willingness to help, scene imagery, and theory of mind engagement were measured.
Main Results:
- Simulating future helping events that elicited positive affect led to a greater willingness to help.
- Positive affect enhanced theory of mind engagement for the person in need.
- Scene imagery and theory of mind coupled systematically based on the affective valence of future simulations.
Conclusions:
- Affective responses to simulated future prosocial events motivate helping behavior.
- Theory of mind and subjective scene imagery are guided by affective valence in prosocial simulations.
- This provides insight into how episodic simulation's affective valence supports prosocial functions.
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