Moral Identity and College Students’ Prosocial Behavior Tendency: The Mediating Effect of Empathy and the Moderating Effect of Mindfulness

doi:10.12139/j.1672-0628.2022.01.012

Abstract

Abstract: This study aimed to explore the mechanism of the influence of moral identity on college students’ prosocial behavior tendency by conducting a survey on 533 college students with Moral Identity Measure, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, Prosocial Tendencies Measure, and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. The results showed that: 1) both internalization and symbolization were significantly positively related to college students’ prosocial behavior tendency; 2) empathy played a partial mediating role in the effect of internalization and symbolization on college students’ prosocial behavior tendency; 3) mindfulness played a moderating role in the effect of internalization and symbolization on college students’ prosocial behavior tendency. Mindfulness weakened the positive effect of moral identity symbolization on prosocial behavior tendency, while it enhanced the positive effect of empathy on prosocial behavior tendency.

Key words: prosocial behavior tendency, moral identity internalization, moral identity symbolization, empathy, mindfulness

摘要： 采用道德认同量表、人际反应指针量表、亲社会行为倾向量表和五因素正念度量表对533名大学生进行调查，探讨道德认同对大学生亲社会行为倾向的影响机制。结果表明：（1）道德认同的两个维度—道德认同内化和道德认同符号化均能正向预测大学生亲社会行为倾向；（2）共情在道德认同内化和符号化对大学生亲社会行为倾向的影响过程中起部分中介作用；（3）正念在道德认同内化和符号化通过共情对大学生亲社会行为倾向的影响过程中起调节作用，正念减弱了道德认同符号化对亲社会行为倾向的正向影响，增强了共情对亲社会行为倾向的正向影响。

关键词: 亲社会行为倾向, 道德认同内化, 道德认同符号化, 共情, 正念

CLC Number:

B844

GUO Ying, CHEN Canjie, HU Dong, YUAN Anyi. Moral Identity and College Students’ Prosocial Behavior Tendency: The Mediating Effect of Empathy and the Moderating Effect of Mindfulness[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(1): 80-87.

郭英, 陈灿杰, 胡东, 袁安怡. 道德认同对大学生亲社会行为倾向的影响：共情的中介作用和正念的调节作用[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2022, 20(1): 80-87.

References

寇彧, 洪慧芳, 谭晨, 李磊. (2007). 青少年亲社会倾向量表的修订. 心理发展与教育, 23(1), 112–117
万增奎, 杨韶刚. (2008). 青少年道德自我认同问卷的修订. 社会心理科学, 23(5), 41–45, 77.
张凤凤, 董毅, 汪凯, 詹志禹, 谢伦芳. (2010). 中文版人际反应指针量表(IRI-C)的信度及效度研究. 中国临床心理学杂志, 18(2), 155–157
周浩, 龙立荣. (2004). 共同方法偏差的统计检验与控制方法. 心理科学进展, 12(6), 942–950
Aquino, K., & Kay, A. (2018). A social cognitive model of moral identity. In K. Gray & J. Graham (Eds.), Atlas of moral psychology (pp. 133–140). New York: The Guilford Press.
Aquino, K., McFerran, B., & Laven, M. (2011). Moral identity and the experience of moral elevation in response to acts of uncommon goodness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 100(4), 703–718, doi: 10.1037/a0022540.
Aquino, K., & Reed, A. (2002). The self-importance of moral identity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(6), 1423–1440, doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.83.6.1423.
Aydin Sünbül, Z. (2021). Indirect relations of mindful awareness with different forms of prosocial actions within college students: The mediating role of empathy. Current Psychology, 40, 126–132, doi: 10.1007/s12144-019-00342-6.
Batson, C. D. (2017). The empathy-altruism hypothesis: What and so what? In E. M. Seppälä, E. Simon-Thomas, S. L. Brown, M. C. Worline, C. D. Cameron, & J. R. Doty (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of compassion science (pp. 27–40). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Berry, D. R., Cairo, A. H., Goodman, R. J., Quaglia, J. T., Green, J. D., & Brown, K. W. (2018). Mindfulness increases prosocial responses toward ostracized strangers through empathic concern. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 147(1), 93–112, doi: 10.1037/xge0000392.
Berry, D. R., Hoerr, J. P., Cesko, S., Alayoubi, A., Carpio, K., Zirzow, H., … Beaver, V. (2020). Does mindfulness training without explicit ethics-based instruction promote prosocial behaviors? A meta-analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 46(8), 1247–1269, doi: 10.1177/0146167219900418.
Boegershausen, J., Aquino, K., & Reed, A. (2015). Moral identity. Current Opinion in Psychology, 6, 162–166, doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.07.017.
Brown, K. W., Ryan, R. M., & Creswell, J. D. (2007). Mindfulness: Theoretical foundations and evidence for its salutary effects. Psychological Inquiry, 18(4), 211–237, doi: 10.1080/10478400701598298.
Condon, P. (2017). Mindfulness, compassion, and prosocial behaviour. In J. C. Karremans & E. K. Papies (Eds.), Mindfulness in social psychology (pp. 124–138). New York: Routledge, doi: 10.4324/9781315627700-9.
Crimston, C. R., Bain, P. G., Hornsey, M. J., & Bastian, B. (2016). Moral expansiveness: Examining variability in the extension of the moral world. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 111(4), 636–653, doi: 10.1037/pspp0000086.
Deng, Y. Q., Liu, X. H., Rodriguez, M. A., & Xia, C. Y. (2011). The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire: Psychometric properties of the Chinese version. Mindfulness, 2(2), 123–128, doi: 10.1007/s12671-011-0050-9.
Ding, W., Shao, Y. H., Sun, B. H., Xie, R. B., Li, W. J., & Wang, X. Z. (2018). How can prosocial behavior be motivated? The different roles of moral judgment, moral elevation, and moral identity among the young Chinese. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 814, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00814.
Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Buchner, A., & Lang, A. G. (2009). Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behavior Research Methods, 41(4), 1149–1160, doi: 10.3758/BRM.41.4.1149.
Gotowiec, S., & van Mastrigt, S. (2019). Having versus doing: The roles of moral identity internalization and symbolization for prosocial behaviors. The Journal of Social Psychology, 159(1), 75–91, doi: 10.1080/00224545.2018.1454394.
Goubert, L., Craig, K. D., Vervoort, T., Morley, S., Sullivan, M. J. L., de Williams, C. A. C., Cano, A., & Crombez, G. (2005). Facing others in pain: The effects of empathy. PAIN, 118(3), 285–288, doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2005.10.025.
Hardy, S. A., Nadal, A. R. C., & Schwartz, S. J. (2017). The integration of personal identity, religious identity, and moral identity in emerging adulthood. Identity, 17(2), 96–107, doi: 10.1080/15283488.2017.1305905.
Hardy, S. A., Walker, L. J., Rackham, D. D., & Olsen, J. A. (2012). Religiosity and adolescent empathy and aggression: The mediating role of moral identity. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 4(3), 237–248, doi: 10.1037/a0027566.
Hertz, S. G., & Krettenauer, T. (2016). Does moral identity effectively predict moral behavior? A meta-analysis. Review of General Psychology, 20(2), 129–140, doi: 10.1037/gpr0000062.
Hoffman, M. L. (2001). Empathy and moral development: Implications for caring and justice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Jain, S., Shapiro, S. L., Swanick, S., Roesch, S. C., Mills, P. J., Bell, I., & Schwartz, G. E. R. (2007). A randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation versus relaxation training: Effects on distress, positive states of mind, rumination, and distraction. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 33(1), 11–21, doi: 10.1207/s15324796abm3301_2.
Karremans, J. C., & Papies, E. K. (2017). Why social psychologists should care about mindfulness. In J. C. Karremans & E. K. Papies (Eds.), Mindfulness in social psychology (pp. 1–14). New York: Routledge, doi: 10.4324/9781315627700-1.
Kaur, S. (2020). Effect of religiosity and moral identity internalization on prosocial behaviour. Journal of Human Values, 26(2), 186–198, doi: 10.1177/0971685820901402.
Lee, S., Winterich, K. P., & Ross, W. T., Jr. (2014). I’m moral, but I won’t help you: The distinct roles of empathy and justice in donations. Journal of Consumer Research, 41(3), 678–696, doi: 10.1086/677226.
Rosenberg, E. L., Zanesco, A. P., King, B. G., Aichele, S. R., Jacobs, T. L., Bridwell, D. A., … Saron, C. D. (2015). Intensive meditation training influences emotional responses to suffering. Emotion, 15(6), 775–790, doi: 10.1037/emo0000080.
Schindler, S., Pfattheicher, S., & Reinhard, M. A. (2019). Potential negative consequences of mindfulness in the moral domain. European Journal of Social Psychology, 49(5), 1055–1069, doi: 10.1002/ejsp.2570.
Schultz P. P., & Ryan R. M. (2015) The “Why,” “What,” and “How” of healthy self-regulation: Mindfulness and well-being from a self-determination theory perspective. In B. D. Ostafin, M. D. Robinson, & B. P. Meier (Eds.), Handbook of mindfulness and self-regulation (pp. 81–94). New York: Springer, doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2263-5_7.
van der Graaff, J., Carlo, G., Crocetti, E., Koot, H. M., & Branje, S. (2018). Prosocial behavior in adolescence: Gender differences in development and links with empathy. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(5), 1086–1099, doi: 10.1007/s10964-017-0786-1.
Winterich, K. P., Aquino, K., Mittal, V., & Swartz, R. (2013). When moral identity symbolization motivates prosocial behavior: The role of recognition and moral identity internalization. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(5), 759–770, doi: 10.1037/a0033177.
Winterich, K. P., Mittal, V., & Ross, W. T., Jr. (2009). Donation behavior toward in-groups and out-groups: The role of gender and moral identity. Journal of Consumer Research, 36(2), 199–214, doi: 10.1086/596720.

[1]	ZHONG Weifang, GUO Yongxing. Ability to Recognize Sadness in Ambiguous Facial Expressions Affects Empathy for Pain [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(5): 585-592.
[2]	WANG Gang, LIU Saifeng, LI Qichen, WEN Dai, WU Yunyi, JIANG Boxi, LI Fang. The Effect of the Parental Neglect on Short-Form Video Overuse: The Mediating Roles of Mindfulness and Self-Control [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(4): 487-493.
[3]	JIN Ming, ZENG Lianping, ZENG Xiaoye, HUANG Yafu. Mindfulness and Learning Burnout in High School Students: A Perspective Based on Self-Regulated Learning Model [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(4): 494-500.
[4]	LUO Li, YANG Dong, CHEN Shengdong, GAO Wei, CHEN Yongqiang, YUAN Jiajin. Dispositional Awe Positively Predicts Prosocial Tendencies: Multiple Mediation Effects of Self-Transcendence and Empathy [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(3): 390-396.
[5]	YUAN Bo, LIAO Suxia, GUO Qiaoqiao, GAO Qiyang, CHEN Siyu. Social Mindfulness of Migrant Children and Its Promotion [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(2): 268-273.
[6]	LIU Xuanxuan, ZHANG Libin, LIU Zheng, YANG Zhe, LI Lina. Effect of Mindfulness Training on Inhibitory Control in Convalescent Schizophrenic Inpatients [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(1): 138-144.
[7]	HUANG He, WANG Xiaoying, LV Bo. Family Cumulative Risk and Problem Behavior of Migrant Preschool Children: A Moderated Mediation Model [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2021, 19(6): 779-785.
[8]	JIANG Tianxiang, MA Ning. The Effects of Mindfulness Training on Sleep Quality and Daytime Vigilance [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2021, 19(4): 542-548.
[9]	YAN Zhiqiang, LI Shan. The Association of Empathy on Depression: The Moderating Effect of Peer-Relationship [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2021, 19(3): 424-430.
[10]	GAO Ling, HUA Suqing, LI Peipei, YANG Jiping, WANG Xingchao. The Effect of Sibling Relationship on Adolescents’ Prosocial Behavior: The Roles of Moral Disengagement and Empathy [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2021, 19(2): 216-222.
[11]	ZHANG Jieting, YANG Cuimei, WU Shuying, ZHANG Jingfeng, KANG Wu, CHI Xinli. The Effectiveness of 4-Week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Improving Anxiety Among Junior School Students [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2021, 19(1): 104-110.
[12]	ZHANG Zhen. The Relationship Between Narcissism and Aggression: The Moderating Effects of Perspective Taking and Empathy Concern [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2021, 19(1): 131-136.
[13]	HUANG Mingming, ZHAO Shouying. The Influence of Alexithymia on College Students’ Mobile Addiction Tendency: The Role of Loneliness and Mindfulness [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2020, 18(5): 686-692.
[14]	SONG Juan, DU Meng, LIAN Tao, ZHANG Qian. Positive Emotion’s Effect from Nostalgia on Pain Empathy: An ERP Study [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2020, 18(4): 466-473.
[15]	TAN Qianbao, LI Jiayuan, LIU Xu. The Effect of Cumulative Ecological Risk on Aggressive Behaviors for Rural Junior School Students: A Moderated Mediation Model [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2020, 18(4): 489-495.