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  • December 2022
  • Article
  • Current Opinion in Psychology

Kindness in Short Supply: Evidence for Inadequate Prosocial Input

By: Jennifer E. Abel, Preeti Vani, Nicole Abi-Esber, Hayley Blunden and Juliana Schroeder
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:6
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Abstract

In everyday life, people often have opportunities to improve others’ lives, whether offering well-intentioned advice or complimenting someone on a job well done. These are opportunities to provide “prosocial input” (information intended to benefit others), including feedback, advice, compliments, and expressions of gratitude. Despite widespread evidence that giving prosocial input can improve the well-being of both givers and recipients, people sometimes hesitate to offer their input. The current paper documents when and why people fail to give prosocial input, noting that potential givers overestimate the costs of doing so (e.g., making recipients uncomfortable) and underestimate the benefits (e.g., being helpful) for at least four psychological reasons. Unfortunately, the reluctance to give prosocial input results in a short supply of kindness.

Keywords

Prosocial Input; Gratitude; Feedback; Advice; Behavior; Interpersonal Communication

Citation

Abel, Jennifer E., Preeti Vani, Nicole Abi-Esber, Hayley Blunden, and Juliana Schroeder. "Kindness in Short Supply: Evidence for Inadequate Prosocial Input." Art. 101458. Current Opinion in Psychology 48 (December 2022).
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More from the Authors

    • December 2022
    • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

    'Just Letting You Know…': Underestimating Others' Desire for Constructive Feedback

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    • September 2022
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    The Limits of Inconspicuous Incentives

    By: Leslie K. John, Hayley Blunden, Katherine Milkman, Luca Foschini and Bradford Tuckfield
    • July 2022
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    When Alterations Are Violations: Moral Outrage and Punishment in Response to (Even Minor) Alterations to Rituals

    By: Daniel H. Stein, Juliana Schroeder, Nicholas M. Hobson, Francesca Gino and Michael I. Norton
More from the Authors
  • 'Just Letting You Know…': Underestimating Others' Desire for Constructive Feedback By: Nicole Abi-Esber, Jennifer E. Abel, Juliana Schroeder and Francesca Gino
  • The Limits of Inconspicuous Incentives By: Leslie K. John, Hayley Blunden, Katherine Milkman, Luca Foschini and Bradford Tuckfield
  • When Alterations Are Violations: Moral Outrage and Punishment in Response to (Even Minor) Alterations to Rituals By: Daniel H. Stein, Juliana Schroeder, Nicholas M. Hobson, Francesca Gino and Michael I. Norton
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