Money makes altruism affordable: international study

The global study from researchers at the University of Birmingham looked at data from more than 80,000 people from a wide range of cultures in 76 countries across the world.

The research paper found there was a strong link between financial wellbeing and "prosocial behaviour" such as altruistic acts towards other people.

Professor Patricia Lockwood, head of the Social Decision Neuroscience Lab at the University of Birmingham and the senior author of the study, said the findings suggested that relative wealth in different countries drove the same altruistic intent and behaviour.

This in turn meant that supporting financial equality would have a strong impact on increasing prosocial attitudes.

“There has been disagreement as to whether higher wealth makes you more or less prosocial,” she said.

“Our study clearly shows that wealth, and a subjective sense of financial well-being, are very strongly associated with prosocial behaviours and attitudes.”

Lockwood said wealthier people were more inclined to give money to charity, volunteer or perform reciprocal acts of generosity.

“What's more, this effect is highly consistent globally, even in countries that differ a lot in levels of wealth.”

However, Lockwood said her team also detected a negative association between wealth and trust, with those on higher incomes less likely to trust others to act positively towards them.

Higher wealth was also linked with punishing those who behaved badly.

“This can be an important part of maintaining prosocial levels or good behaviour in society."

Another member of the research team, Paul Vanags, said that people who had previously experienced financial hardship displayed the strongest link between wealth and prosocial behaviour.

“When people have experienced precarity (income insecurity) higher financial well-being is then more likely to result in prosocial behaviours such as helping a stranger, donating and volunteering,” he said.

“So, when people have experienced hardship but have improved their personal circumstances to the point where they now feel well off, this is associated with higher levels of beneficial prosocial behaviours.”

The research team said the study was important because behaviour that benefited others was essential for health, well-being, and a society that can effectively respond to global challenges.

“Identifying factors that may increase or decrease [such behaviour] is therefore critical.”