Are Left-Leaning People More Prosocial?

It’s often assumed that people with left-wing political beliefs are more prosocial and altruistic than those who lean right. This assumption may stem from left-wing parties’ focus on social welfare issues, such as supporting the unemployed or advocating for a minimum wage. But do left-leaning individuals themselves exhibit more prosocial behavior? Research from the Max Planck Society aimed to find out.

What is Prosociality?

Psychologists define prosocial behavior as actions that benefit others without expecting direct rewards. Social welfare—a cornerstone of left-wing agendas—fits this definition by aiming to provide societal support for all, including the unemployed.

But does voting for a left-wing party indicate a stronger personal commitment to prosocial values?

Researchers surveyed around 1,800 Germans of various ages, genders, and educational backgrounds. Participants reported their political orientation and completed personality assessments. They also participated in “economic games” designed to measure prosocial behavior, including:

  • Dictator Game: One player decides how to split money between themselves and another.
  • Public Goods Game: Players contribute private tokens to a public pot, which multiplies and benefits the group.

The results showed a general connection between left-wing orientation and prosociality. People with left-leaning beliefs were more likely to report prosocial tendencies in self-assessments. However, this link was not consistent across all tasks.

For instance:

  • In the Dictator Game and Public Goods Game, there was no clear pattern showing that left-leaning individuals behaved more prosocially.
  • Self-report questionnaires, on the other hand, consistently showed higher prosocial attitudes among left-wing supporters.

The researchers concluded that while left-wing beliefs are associated with stronger prosociality, the connection is nuanced and doesn’t hold across all measures. They also raised the possibility that right-leaning individuals might show prosocial behavior within their own groups, while left-leaning individuals might act more prosocially towards others in general.

Cultural Context Matters

Since the study was conducted in Germany, its findings may not apply to countries with different political dynamics. For example, coalition governments combining left- and right-wing parties are common in Germany. By contrast, in the United States, left-leaning Democrats and right-leaning Republicans rarely collaborate, which could affect how political beliefs relate to prosociality.

The research suggests a general tendency for left-wing individuals to exhibit more prosocial attitudes, but the relationship isn’t straightforward. Further studies are needed to explore how these tendencies play out across different cultural and political contexts—and how prosociality varies within and across political groups.

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