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. 2024 Feb 14:17:537-552.
doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S446186. eCollection 2024.

Mechanisms of Self-Control in the Influence of Moral Elevation on Pro-Social Behavior: A Study Based on an Experimental Paradigm

Mingjie Huang  1 , Shuanghu Fang  1
Affiliations

Mechanisms of Self-Control in the Influence of Moral Elevation on Pro-Social Behavior: A Study Based on an Experimental Paradigm

Mingjie Huang et al. Psychol Res Behav Manag. .

Abstract

Introduction: Because the mechanisms by which moral elevation triggers an individual's pro-social behavior remain unclear, this study examined the mediating role of self-control resources in the relationship between moral elevation and pro-social behavior.

Methods: Experiment 1 examined the effects of moral elevation on self-control resources using two task paradigms, the Stroop task and the Go/NoGo task, with 80 college students as study participants. Experiment 2 was conducted with an additional 140 college students, using both experimental and questionnaire methods to examine the mediating role of self-control resources in the effects of moral elevation on pro-social behavior.

Results: (1) The results of Experiment 1 showed that the self-control ability of the moral elevation induction group was significantly better than that of the non-induction group. The accuracy rate of self-control tasks in the induction group (0.94 ± 0.01) was significantly higher than that in the non-induction group (0.89 ± 0.01, F(1,79)=19.10, p <0.001, η2=0.50). The mean reaction time of the self-control tasks in the induction group (393.63 ± 3.5) was significantly lower than that in the non-induction group (415.38 ±7.30, F(1,79)=5.87, p =0.026, η2=0.24). (2) The results of Experiment 2 showed a significant positive correlation between moral elevation and self-control resources (r=0.46, p<0.001), a significant positive correlation between moral elevation and pro-social behavior (r=0.33, p<0.001), and a significant positive correlation between self-control resources and pro-social behavior (r=0.31, p<0.001). Not only did moral elevation significantly and positively predict pro-social behavior (β= 0.23, p=0.011), but it also significantly and positively predicted self-control resources (β= 0.46, p<0.001). Self-control resources significantly and positively predicted pro-social behavior (β= 0.20, p=0.025). The bootstrap test for the mediating effect of self-control resources showed that the upper and lower limits of the 95% confidence interval did not include 0 (indirect effect 0.09, 95% CI [0.023, 0.242], p<0.001), and the mediating effect accounted for 28.13%.

Conclusion: This study revealed the mediating role of self-control resources in the relationship between moral elevation and pro-social behavior, which has important theoretical and practical implications for cultivating pro-social behavior and moral education among college students.

Keywords: college students; mediating role; moral elevation; pro-social behavior; self-control.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Self-depletion Stroop task flow.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Self-control GO/NoGO task flow.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The degree of emotion induced in the correct rate of self-control tasks for participants in different depletion groups; ***, P<0.001.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Emotion-induced degree in the mean reaction time of self-control tasks for participants in different depletion groups; ***, P<0.001.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Mediating effects of (standardized) self-control resources; ***, P<0.001.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Grants and funding

This project was one of the key projects of the Chinese Ministry of Education and was funded by the Chinese National Office for Education Sciences Planning (Grant No. DBA190311).

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