Proceedings of the 2nd International Education Conference
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Longitudinal relationships between openness to diversity and prosocial behavior: Mediation role of empathy
Derya Atalan Ergin, Figen Çok
ABSTRACT:
Introduction: Globalization, migrations, and advancements in communication and information technologies have played a significant role in the widespread of multiculturalism around the world. Multiculturalism refers to a structure where all different groups coexist and share cultural elements. Prosocial behaviors are defined as voluntary actions that aim to benefit or help others, either individuals or groups. One of the factors that can influence prosocial behavior in multicultural environments is openness to diversity. Research has shown that young adults are more open to diversity and more accepting than older adults. Prosocial behaviors that appear to be associated with both societal developments and individual well-being tend to decrease just before young adulthood. It is crucial for young individuals living with various diversity in the social structure to be open to these diversities, be able to empathize with them. However, studies on prosocial behavior have mostly been conducted on adolescents. On the other hand, during young adulthood, social connections increase, and cognitive development reaches its peak. This study aims to evaluate the relationships between prosocial behavior, empathy, and openness to diversity. We examined the mediator role of empathy in the relationship between openness to diversity and prosocial behavior. Method: A total of 243 individuals aged between 18 and 25, who were studying at universities in Ankara, were reached by using convenience sampling method. The data was collected at three-month intervals in two times. Data collection tools were Prosocial Tendencies Measure, Miville-Guzman universality-diversity scale and Basic Empathy Scale. Results: Openness of diversity significantly associated with empathy (β = .21, p < .05). Empathy (T1) was also found to have significant association with prosocial behavior (T2) (β = .70, p < .001). Moreover, the total effect of openness to diversity(T1) on prosocial behavior (T2) was significant (β = .64, p < .001). When empathy was controlled, the relationship between the predictor openness to diversity and outcome prosocial behavior (T2) was still significant (β = .49, p < .001). The bootstrapping confidence intervals (CI) revealed that the indirect effect of openness to diversity (T1) on prosocial behavior (T2) via empathy (T1) did not include zero (CI = .0309, .2760; indirect effect = .15), indicating that the model was reliable and relationship between openness to diversity and prosocial behavior was partially mediated by empathy. Total of 22% of the variance in prosocial behavior was accounted by empathy and openness to diversity (R2 = 0.22). Conclusion: It can be stated that the relationship between openness to diversity and prosocial behavior is partially mediated by empathy. Openness to diversity positively predicted prosocial behaviors. In other words, individuals with a higher level of openness to diversity tend to exhibit more prosocial behaviors. However, empathy plays a partial mediating role between two. Therefore, it is important to address both openness to diversity and empathy in supporting prosocial behavior.
keywords: Prosocial behaviour, empathy, openness to diversity, longitudinal, mediation analyses