University Presentation Showcase: Undergraduate Division
The Moderating Effect of Optimism on Mood State and Prosocial Behavior
Presenter Hometown
Crab Orchard
Major
Psychology
Department
Psychology
Degree
Undergraduate
Mentor
Dr. Matthew Winslow
Mentor Department
Psychology
Recommended Citation
Taylor, Dakota, "The Moderating Effect of Optimism on Mood State and Prosocial Behavior" (2023). University Presentation Showcase Event. 41.
https://encompass.eku.edu/swps/2023/undergraduate/41
Abstract
Regardless of background or culture, prosocial behavior is an aspect of societies around the world. Prosocial behavior can be defined as intentional behavior and motivation to benefit other people. One aspect of prosocial behavior is the act of helping others. Other variables like optimism may be important to the relationship between mood state and helping behavior. The aim of this project is to determine how optimism works to moderate mood state and helping behaviors. For this poster, data is currently being collected, analyzed, and ready to be presented at the conference. Participants will be asked to complete a series of surveys and a demographics assessment. Afterwards participants described two images and receive positive or negative feedback based on the group they are in. Once the feedback is given participants were asked to assist the researcher in a task to recover a document of information after being told they are free to leave. The actual experiment is measuring how long participants spend on the helping task provided to the participant. Each condition will be compared by optimism levels and the amount of time spent helping to determine how important optimism is in moderating mood state and helping behavior. This will hopefully be most noticeable in the negative experience condition on participants who scored a high level of optimism on the LOT-R.
Keywords: Optimism, Positivity, Feedback, Altruism, Helping, Prosocial,
Presentation format
Poster
The Moderating Effect of Optimism on Mood State and Prosocial Behavior
Regardless of background or culture, prosocial behavior is an aspect of societies around the world. Prosocial behavior can be defined as intentional behavior and motivation to benefit other people. One aspect of prosocial behavior is the act of helping others. Other variables like optimism may be important to the relationship between mood state and helping behavior. The aim of this project is to determine how optimism works to moderate mood state and helping behaviors. For this poster, data is currently being collected, analyzed, and ready to be presented at the conference. Participants will be asked to complete a series of surveys and a demographics assessment. Afterwards participants described two images and receive positive or negative feedback based on the group they are in. Once the feedback is given participants were asked to assist the researcher in a task to recover a document of information after being told they are free to leave. The actual experiment is measuring how long participants spend on the helping task provided to the participant. Each condition will be compared by optimism levels and the amount of time spent helping to determine how important optimism is in moderating mood state and helping behavior. This will hopefully be most noticeable in the negative experience condition on participants who scored a high level of optimism on the LOT-R.
Keywords: Optimism, Positivity, Feedback, Altruism, Helping, Prosocial,
