IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/soinre/v178y2025i1d10.1007_s11205-025-03569-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Authentic and Non-authentic Benevolence: Self-Determination Theory as a Framework to Establish Links to Well-Being

Author

Listed:
  • Annie Paquet

    (Université Paris Nanterre)

  • Fabien Fenouillet

    (Université Paris Nanterre)

  • Charles Martin-Krumm

    (École de Psychologues Praticiens de I’Institut Catholique de Paris, APEMAC, Université de Lorraine)

  • John-Tyler Binfet

    (University of British Columbia)

  • Yvan Paquet

    (Université de la Réunion)

Abstract

Prosocial motivations and their consequences are generally explored along two axes: (1) their degree of autonomy/control; and (2) their degree of altruism/selfishness. This study combined these dichotomies to elucidate the theoretical concept of authentic benevolence (defined as benevolence where the individual acts autonomously without expectation of reciprocity, thus completely altruistically); and to explore the effects of benevolence motivations on well-being by creating the Benevolence Motivation Scale (BMS). To this end, 409 participants aged between 17 and 77 years took part in a cross-sectional study and completed various well-being measures, including the BMS. An exploratory-confirmatory factor analysis and second-order analyses showed that a model with two latent second-order factors, named authentic benevolence and non-authentic benevolence, fit the data. Correlational analyses highlighted that only authentic benevolence was positively related to authenticity, empathy, life satisfaction, positive emotions, psychological fulfillment and satisfying social relationships; whereas non-authentic benevolence was negatively correlated with authenticity, life satisfaction and positive emotions. Findings from structural equation modeling supported: (1) the positive impact of authentic benevolence on positive and negative emotions, and the negative impact of non-authentic benevolence on positive emotions; and (2) the effects of satisfying the basic needs described by Self Determination Theory on the adoption of one of the two forms of benevolence. The findings are discussed within the broader context of prosocial motivations.

Suggested Citation

  • Annie Paquet & Fabien Fenouillet & Charles Martin-Krumm & John-Tyler Binfet & Yvan Paquet, 2025. "Authentic and Non-authentic Benevolence: Self-Determination Theory as a Framework to Establish Links to Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 178(1), pages 163-184, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:178:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s11205-025-03569-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-025-03569-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11205-025-03569-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11205-025-03569-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:178:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s11205-025-03569-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.