Understanding prosocial behaviour: perspectives from different cultures and generations.

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Cross-Cultural Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Prosocial behavior is fundamental to human societies.
• Sociocultural changes can influence the understanding and practice of prosociality.
• Cultural and generational factors may shape diverse perspectives on prosocial behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how different sociocultural contexts influence perspectives on the meaning and practices of prosocial behavior.
• To explore cultural and generational diversity in prosociality between Indonesian and Australian participants.

Main Methods:

• Focus group discussions with 42 participants from Indonesian and Australian younger and older generations.
• Thematic analysis to identify key themes and subthemes.
• Consensual qualitative research-modified (CQR-M) approach for data interpretation.

Main Results:

• Identified four themes and 23 subthemes related to prosocial behavior.
• Found similarities in the forms of prosocial behaviors across cultures and generations.
• Observed cultural differences in perspectives between Australian and Indonesian participants.
• Noted generational differences in prosocial behavior understanding within the Indonesian cohort, but not the Australian cohort.

Conclusions:

• Understanding and experiences of prosocial behavior are not uniform across societies with differing sociocultural change trajectories.
• Societal context significantly impacts the interpretation and manifestation of prosocial behavior, particularly across generations within specific cultural settings.