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The Relationship Between Prosociality, Meaning, and Happiness in Everyday Life

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  • Brodie C. Dakin

    (University of Queensland)

  • Nicholas P. Tan

    (The University of Melbourne)

  • Tamlin S. Conner

    (University of Otago)

  • Brock Bastian

    (The University of Melbourne)

Abstract

Prosocial behaviors benefit others, but what benefits do they hold for those who enact them? Prosociality can enhance the actor’s well-being, yet whether it is one’s sense of happiness or meaning that is impacted, and how this plays out in everyday life, has received limited attention. We address this gap in knowledge by examining how prosociality is related to daily meaning and happiness across two large daily diary studies in two countries. Study 1 (N = 1140) revealed that changes in one’s subjective sense of prosociality was uniquely associated with both daily meaning and happiness. Study 2 (N = 217) found that self-reported prosocial behavior was also clearly linked to increases in daily meaning, and modestly associated with daily happiness. Altogether, our findings suggest that the subjective sense of prosociality is associated with meaning and happiness, and that performing prosocial acts may be particularly relevant to experiencing meaning.

Suggested Citation

  • Brodie C. Dakin & Nicholas P. Tan & Tamlin S. Conner & Brock Bastian, 2022. "The Relationship Between Prosociality, Meaning, and Happiness in Everyday Life," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2787-2804, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:23:y:2022:i:6:d:10.1007_s10902-022-00526-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-022-00526-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ed Diener & Derrick Wirtz & William Tov & Chu Kim-Prieto & Dong-won Choi & Shigehiro Oishi & Robert Biswas-Diener, 2010. "New Well-being Measures: Short Scales to Assess Flourishing and Positive and Negative Feelings," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 97(2), pages 143-156, June.
    2. Edward Deci & Richard Ryan, 2008. "Hedonia, eudaimonia, and well-being: an introduction," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, January.
    3. Frank Martela & Richard M. Ryan & Michael F. Steger, 2018. "Meaningfulness as Satisfaction of Autonomy, Competence, Relatedness, and Beneficence: Comparing the Four Satisfactions and Positive Affect as Predictors of Meaning in Life," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(5), pages 1261-1282, June.
    4. Myriam Mongrain & Jacqueline Chin & Leah Shapira, 2011. "Practicing Compassion Increases Happiness and Self-Esteem," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(6), pages 963-981, December.
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