2024/11/21 by Blake Kammermann, Selen Türkay, Daniel Johnson +1 · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Computer Science · Psychology · #Media Influence and Health #Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts #Behavioral Health and Interventions
paper · doi:10.1080/10447318.2024.2425730
openalex publication_date 2024/11/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02
Prosocial behaviour is crucial in human relationships, enhancing the well-being of both the helper and the recipient. Using rewards to encourage prosocial behaviour can be effective, but may influence reasoning and negatively affect follow-up prosocial behaviour. The salience of the reward for the initial helping behaviour could explain the mixed findings in prior literature. Using a 2 (Aesthetic Upgrade, No Aesthetic Upgrade) × 2 (Functional Upgrade, No Functional Upgrade) online experimental study design (N = 170), this research investigates the impact of reward salience within a videogame on follow-up prosocial behaviour (donation to charity). Findings indicate that although reward salience was successfully manipulated, it did not have a statistically significant relationship with reasoning or behaviour. Notably, strategic reasoning for in-game helping was negatively associated with charitable donations. These results emphasise the importance of understanding how people perceive their prosocial actions to better predict future prosocial engagement, with implications for future research and games designed for social change.