Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
Cogn Emot. 2022 Aug;36(5):894-911. doi: 10.1080/02699931.2022.2067133. Epub 2022 May 10.
The moral self-concept has been proposed as a central predictor of prosocial behaviour. In two experiments (one preregistered), we explored the nature of the relation between the moral self-concept (explicit and implicit) and prosocial behaviour. Specifically, we investigated the role of emotions associated with prosocial behaviour (consequential or anticipated) and preference for consistency. The results revealed a relation between the explicit moral self-concept and sharing behaviour. The explicit moral self-concept was linked to anticipated and consequential emotions regarding not-sharing. Importantly, anticipated and consequential emotions about not-sharing mediated the relation between self-concept and behaviour. Yet, the relation was independent of preference for consistency. The implicit moral self-concept was neither related to prosocial behaviour nor to emotions associated with behaviour. Overall, our study demonstrates the interplay between cognitive and emotional processes in explaining prosocial behaviour. More specific, it underlines the link between the moral self-concept and prosocial behaviour and highlights the role of emotions about the omission of prosocial behaviour.
道德自我概念被认为是亲社会行为的核心预测因素。在两项实验（一项预先注册）中，我们探讨了道德自我概念（显性和隐性）与亲社会行为之间的关系的本质。具体来说，我们研究了与亲社会行为（预期或预期的结果）相关的情绪以及对一致性的偏好的作用。结果表明，显性道德自我概念与分享行为之间存在关系。显性道德自我概念与不分享相关的预期和结果情绪有关。重要的是，不分享的预期和结果情绪在自我概念和行为之间起中介作用。然而，这种关系独立于一致性偏好。隐性道德自我概念与亲社会行为或与行为相关的情绪无关。总的来说，我们的研究表明认知和情感过程在解释亲社会行为中的相互作用。更具体地说，它强调了道德自我概念与亲社会行为之间的联系，并突出了关于亲社会行为缺失的情绪的作用。
