Character Strengths and Prosocial Behavior: A Study with Volunteers from in Social Actions

Prosociality is a characteristic of people’s behaviors aimed at the benefit of others. Character strengths are positive personality traits that enable people to overcome the challenges of everyday life. This study identified relationships and predictions between character strengths and prosocial beh...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Noronha , Ana Paula Porto, Souza, Marcela Hipólito de, Friedenreich, Giovanna Magliocca, Dias-Viana, Joao Lucas, Prandini , Sandra, Mioralli, Carolina Milena, Campos, Andréia Maria de Britto
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2023
Country:Brasil
Institution:Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (UPM)
Repository:Psicologia (Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie. Online)
Language:Portuguese
English
OAI Identifier:oai:ojs.editorarevistas.mackenzie.br:article/15077
Online Access:http://editorarevistas.mackenzie.br/index.php/ptp/article/view/15077
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Volunteering
Positive Psychology
Prosociality
Prosocial Behavior
Character Strengths
Trabajo Voluntario
Psicología Positiva
Prosociabilidad
Conducta Prosocial
Fuerzas del Carácter
Voluntariado
Psicologia Positiva
Pró-sociabilidade
Comportamento Pró-social
Forças de Caráter
Description
Summary:Prosociality is a characteristic of people’s behaviors aimed at the benefit of others. Character strengths are positive personality traits that enable people to overcome the challenges of everyday life. This study identified relationships and predictions between character strengths and prosocial behaviors present in those involved in social actions as volunteers and non-volunteers. The participants were 784 people aged between 18 and 69 years (M = 36.70; SD = 12.90) from all Brazilian regions, the majority being female (77.30%). Of all participants, 34.94% did some volunteer work. A sociodemographic questionnaire was used, and two scales in the Portuguese version: the Pro-Sociability Scale and the Character Strengths Scale, answered the online survey. To analyze the data obtained, Pearson’s correlation and linear regression using the Enter method were performed, and a t-test was used to compare the groups. The results showed significant and positive associations between the variables investigated. Interpersonal and intellectual character strengths tended to be more closely associated with prosocial behaviors. The model that was extracted by the linear regression was statistically significant, with a prediction in 64.40% of the cases. Ultimately, the group that performed social actions showed higher averages in character strengths and prosocial behaviors. The results were discussed considering the current literature.