Understanding age-related differences in online prosocial behavior : A qualitative thematic analysis of interpersonal, ideological, and mixed patterns

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cris.lastimport.scopus2025-08-29T03:11:02Z
dc.abstract.enProsocial behaviors (PB), referring to voluntary acts intended to benefit others, have become increasingly prevalent online due to advancements in Internet and technology, providing opportunities to benefit people globally. Moreover, previous research suggests that age is a crucial determinant of PB, although the findings are mixed. This study explored the types of online prosocial behaviors (OPB) preferred by different age groups among a sample of 31 Hong Kong Chinese aged 20–70. The participants included a roughly equal number of females and males, recruited through social media platforms. Participants engaged in four focus group discussions, sharing their experiences and thoughts on OPB. The thematic analysis was guided by a recently developed classification of prosociality, distinguishing between interpersonal prosociality (direct PB with immediate feedback) and ideological prosociality (indirect benefits toward collectives without immediate outcomes). Inductive codes that could not be allocated to either type were grouped as a new theme. Three themes emerged: (i) interpersonal OPB (e.g., helping others online for specific goals), (ii) ideological OPB (e.g., concern about injustice and environmental issues), and (iii) mixed OPB (e.g., saving animals, updating COVID-19 information). We found that attention to interpersonal prosociality was highest among older adults (aged 60+), while younger adults (aged 18–29) exhibited greater concern for ideological OPB compared to their older counterparts. Our findings contribute to the conceptual framework of prosociality and underscore the importance of age-related factors in future quantitative research on OPB and on the design of online charity campaigns.
dc.affiliationInstitute of Psychology
dc.affiliationInstytut Psychologii
dc.contributor.authorAu, Algae Kit Yee
dc.contributor.authorCheng, Sophie Kai Lam
dc.contributor.authorWu, Wesley Chi Hang
dc.contributor.authorShum, David H.K.
dc.contributor.authorNezlek, John
dc.contributor.authorHui, Bryant
dc.date.access2024-12-17
dc.date.accessioned2024-12-17T09:18:16Z
dc.date.available2024-12-17T09:18:16Z
dc.date.created2024-12-05
dc.date.issued2025-03-01
dc.description.accesstimeafter_publication
dc.description.issue17
dc.description.physical1-12
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.chbr.2024.100557
dc.identifier.issn2451-9588
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/1159
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOPEN_JOURNAL
dc.subject.enOnline prosocial behawior
dc.subject.enIdeological OPB
dc.subject.enInterpersonal OPB
dc.subject.enMixed OPB
dc.subject.enAge differences
dc.swps.sciencecloudsend
dc.titleUnderstanding age-related differences in online prosocial behavior : A qualitative thematic analysis of interpersonal, ideological, and mixed patterns
dc.title.journalComputers in Human Behavior Reports
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle