Are empathy, religion and guilt good predictors of prosocial behaviour? a correlational study
Authors
Sheridan, Caroline
Issue Date
2012
Degree
BA (Hons) in Psychology
Publisher
Dublin Business School
Rights holder
Rights
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Abstract
The aim of the current study was to investigate prosocial behaviour and the predictor variables religion, empathy and guilt, and identify any gender and age differences that may be evident. To conduct the study questionnaires were given to participants via email link to a website called Kwiksurvey. The participants (N=80) consisted of 24 males and 56 females. This was a sample of convenience with a snowballing effect. The questionnaires were entered into SPSS 18 and appropriate analysis was conducted. Results showed statistically significant differences in gender, with females scoring higher on empathy, guilt and prosocial behaviour, using two-way ANOVA's. A multiple regression was conducted and empathy, religion, guilt and age explained 13.6% of the variance in prosocial behaviour. Author keywords: Behaviour, religion, empathy, guilt