Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38962876›Full record

ArticleJournal of personality2025

Investigating the role of adversity and benevolence beliefs in predicting prosociality.

Daniel Lim, Michael J Poulin, C Dale Shaffer-Morrison, Lauren M Ministero, Roxane Cohen Silver

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of personality, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Daniel LimSchool of Psychological Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7742-8721
Michael J PoulinDepartment of Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4182-4837
C Dale Shaffer-MorrisonDepartment of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
Lauren M MinisteroThe MITRE Corporation, McLean, Virginia, USA.
Roxane Cohen SilverDepartment of Psychological Science, Program in Public Health, and Department of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4013-6792

Funding

National Science Foundation #CMS-0624165University at Buffalo
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDoes experiencing adversity engender kindness, and if so, for whom? Two studies tested the hypothesis that adversity predicts increased pro-social outcomes, and that this relationship is strongest for individuals who view others as good and trustworthy, or benevolent.

methodIn Study 1, a cross-sectional survey design was utilized, and in Study 2 a longitudinal survey was conducted.

resultsIn Study 1 (N = 359), the number of lifetime adverse life events was associated with increased volunteering, empathic concern, and self-reported altruism. The association of adversity and altruism was stronger for those with greater benevolence beliefs. In Study 2 (N = 1157), benevolence beliefs were assessed, and in subsequent years, adverse life events were reported. The number of past-year adverse life events predicted more volunteering and charitable involvement, but only among people with high benevolence beliefs.

conclusionExposure to adversity may be associated with increased pro-social behavior among those with higher benevolence beliefs. In part, this could be due to benevolence beliefs increasing the expectation that one's efforts will be appreciated and reciprocated.

Indexed as

AltruismBeneficenceEmpathyLife Change EventsSocial BehaviorAdolescentAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedTrustVolunteersYoung Adultadversityaltruismbenevolencecharityempathypro‐social behaviorsufferingvolunteeringworldviews

Identifiers

PMID38962876
PMCPMC12053824

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.