Differenze di età nel comportamento prosociale: setting sperimentale e non sperimentale a confronto

Older adults show more prosocial behavior than younger adults, but there are still lack of evidence to explain differences between younger and older in social economic decision-making processes. The first aim was to determine if the content of social information about a recipient has a different impact on young or older adults’ prosocial behavior, the second one was to determine if measuring prosocial behavior is affected by laboratory effect, comparing 3 instruments: 2 real life questionnaires and an experimental economic game. In the end the last aim was to understand if Reasoning, empathic concern and Theory of Mind can explain the age differences we attend in prosociality. A cross-sectional study was conducted to 202 subjects: 52 younger adults (Mage=23; SD=2.63), 50 middle-aged (Mage=59.16; SD=3.17), 50 young older (Mage=69.44; SD=2.78) and old older (Mage=79.96; SD=3.40). Prosocial behavior in experimental setting was measured using the Dictator Game in which participants split a sum of money with recipients’ photos presented with four levels of description: no information, physical description, positive psychological description and negative psychological description. Prosocial Behavior in no-experimental setting was measured with Altruistic Personality Scale (APS) and General Social Survey- Altruistic Module (GSS-AM). In addition, participants performed tasks on empathic concern, Theory of Mind and Reasoning. Results showed that young older are more prosocial than younger adults in the Dictator Game. The finding was evident when the recipient was described with negative psychological features. This pattern of result was explained by the reduction of reasoning and Theory of Mind. Moreover, results show that APS and GSS-AM correlate, as measure of prosocial behavior in non-experimental setting, but APS and GSS-AM are not in relationship with the Dictator Game. Results suggest a relationship between age-related reduction in reasoning ability, Theory of Mind and prosocial behavior.