ArticleBMC public health2025
A study of the prosocial behavior of middle-aged and elderly sports club members: a network analysis.
Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- The impact of physical activity on health inequality among older adults: evidence from China.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Perceived health exposure to mega sporting event and depressive symptoms in older adults: the mediating roles of physical activity and loneliness.BMC psychiatry · 2026Article
- The influence of physical exercise on college students' prosocial behavior: the chain mediating role of social conscientiousness and general self-efficacy.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
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2 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundChina faces escalating aging challenges, including health decline and social isolation. Prosocial behavior, defined as situationally driven altruistic actions and inclinations, is increasingly apparent among middle-aged and older adults due to their higher levels of empathy. Based on the socio-ecological model, we examine a sports association for middle-aged and older people to deconstruct the network architecture and core components of prosocial behavior in a three-dimensional analytical framework. The adoption of a group-level perspective suggests new approaches for advancing theoretical frameworks and practical applications while offering valuable insights for empirical research on social engagement.
methodsA total of 3303 middle-aged and older participants from 52 sports organizations were surveyed. Prosocial behavior and physical activity were assessed using the Prosocial Tendencies Measure (PTM) and the Physical Activity Rating Scale-3 (PARS-3), respectively. Network models were constructed using "R language", and Gaussian graphical models (GGMs) were used to analyze centrality and expected influence. In addition, we used network comparison tests (NCTs) to analyze group differences.
results(1) The prosocial behavior network demonstrated distinct clustering, with "Emotion" and "Urgency" as central dimensions and "Publicity" exhibiting a weaker influence. The key item-level nodes included "Anonymous-12" and "Altruistic-17". (2) Significant structural differences emerged in prosocial behavior networks between the low- and high-income groups (p < 0.05) and across physical activity levels (p < 0.01). (3) No differences in global strength were observed between income groups (p ≥ 0.45), but physical activity levels significantly affected both network structure and strength (p < 0.05).
conclusionThis study is the first to investigate the prosocial behaviors of middle-aged and older groups in China from the perspective of network structure. This study pioneers the network analysis of prosocial behaviors among aging populations in China, uncovering three key insights: (1) Urgency and Emotion are central drivers; (2) income disparities shape behavioral pathways but do not alter overall prosocial intensity; and (3) physical activity enhances network synergy in a dose-dependent manner.
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