Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026

The Modified Temptation Resistance Task: A Paradigm to Elicit Children's Strategic Lie-telling
Published on: April 6, 2018
Entity morality beliefs increase prosocial behaviours: A self-attribution perspective
Zhixuan Lin1,2, Jing Lin1, Yu Kou1
1Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Incremental/entity beliefs refer to individuals' views on whether traits are malleable/static. Previous research, mostly from a target attribution perspective, identified a positive relationship between entity beliefs and harsh moral judgements towards moral transgressors. Little research has examined the relationships between entity beliefs and positive moral behaviours (e.g., prosocial behaviours) from a self-attribution perspective. The current study filled this gap. Two correlational studies, Studies 1a (N = 1229) and 1b (N = 328), revealed positive correlations between entity beliefs, prosocial behaviours and the tendency to attribute behaviours to one's own traits. In Study 2 (N = 167), beliefs were manipulated. Entity theorists exhibited higher levels of helping intentions and self-trait attribution than incremental theorists. Studies 3a (N = 1737) and 3b (N = 183) further explored the moderating effects of prosocial cost and helping efficacy and found that by holding a strong connection between one's own traits and behaviour, entity theorists were less influenced by increased prosocial costs and reduced helping efficacy compared to incremental theorists. These findings establish a more grounded and dialectical understanding of entity and incremental beliefs.
Related Concept Videos
Egoism and Altruism
Fundamental Attribution Error
Attribution
Theory of Attribution I: Correspondent Inference Theory
Attribution Theory
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
