A Meta-Analytic Review of the Validity of the Tangram Help/Hurt Task

Area of Science:

• Psychological Measurement
• Social Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• The Tangram Help/Hurt Task (THHT) is a laboratory tool designed to assess individual differences in prosocial behavior and aggression.
• Evidence supporting the psychometric properties of the THHT is crucial for its continued use in research.
• A comprehensive meta-analysis was needed to consolidate existing findings on the THHT.

Approach:

• Conducted a meta-analytic review of the Tangram Help/Hurt Task (THHT).
• Included 52 independent studies with a total of 11,060 participants.
• Analyzed the association between THHT scores and various helping and hurting outcomes and intentions.

Key Points:

• THHT scores demonstrated significant associations with helping and hurting outcomes, aligning with theoretical predictions.
• The task's validity was supported across both short-term (state measures, experimental manipulations) and long-term (trait measures) assessments.
• THHT scores also predicted participants' intentions to help or harm others.

Conclusions:

• The meta-analysis provides robust evidence for the THHT's utility as a measure of prosocial behavior and aggression.
• The THHT is a valuable tool for laboratory research, applicable in both offline and online study designs.
• Further research should explore unanswered questions and refine the application of the THHT.