Prosocial motivation as a mediator between dispositional mindfulness and prosocial behavior

• Published in: Personality and individual differences 2021-07, Vol.177, p.110806, Article 110806
• Main Authors: Kil, Hali, O'Neill, David, Grusec, Joan E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Decision making; Dispositional mindfulness; Internalization; Mindfulness; Motivation; Objectives; Prosocial behavior; Prosocial motivation; Undergraduate students
• ISSN: 0191-8869; 1873-3549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.110806

Researchers have theorized that mindfulness leads to prosocial behavior through awareness of one's personal goals and motivations. The present research examined the mediating effect of internalized prosocial motivation on the link between dispositional mindfulness and prosocial behavior. Undergraduate students (N = 232) completed questionnaires assessing prosocial motivation and mindfulness. Prosocial behavior was assessed with the social mindfulness decision-making task. The results indicated that internalized prosocial motivation mediated the link between the mindfulness facet of acting with awareness and social mindfulness. The results suggest the importance of individual characteristics such as internalized prosocial motivation as mediators of the link between dispositional mindfulness and prosocial behavior. Given that only one facet of mindfulness—acting with awareness—was indirectly associated with prosocial behavior, the results also indicate that general measures of dispositional mindfulness may not be sufficiently nuanced when investigating these associations. •Mindful people may be more motivated to behave in a way that benefits others.•Internalized prosocial motivation explains why mindful people may be more prosocial.•Acting with awareness is an important mindfulness facet for prosocial behavior.