The hers and his of prosociality across 10 countries

Abstract

Is there a 'more helpful' gender? The present research assessed gender differences in prosocial self-perceptions, prosocial behavioural intentions, and prosocial (transfer) behaviour in same- and other-gender interactions in 10 countries (N = 1,915). The present results showed negligible differences in the degree to which women and men saw themselves as prosocial. However, larger gender differences emerged in regard to prosocial behavioural intentions and prosocial (transfer) behaviours across different help contexts (i.e., same- vs. other-gender interactions). In a hypothetical work scenario, women reported greater prosocial behavioural intentions than men when the recipient of the help was of the same gender. In contrast, when the recipient of the help was of the other gender, men reported greater prosocial behavioural intentions than women. In addition, men transferred more than women to both same- and other-gender interaction partners in a prisoner's dilemma game. Taken together, the present findings suggest that there is no 'more helpful' gender. Instead, gender differences in prosociality are dynamic and contextual. Different theoretical perspectives are taken into consideration in discussing gender differences in the present research.

Keywords: communal; gender roles; prisoner’s dilemma; prosocial behaviour; social role theory.