Economic stress indirectly predicts out-group prosocial behaviors during the Covid-19 pandemic differentially for young adults depending on ethnic group membership

Abstract The goal of the current study was to examine intervening culture and family related mechanisms in the links between pandemic-related economic stress and young adults’ ethnic out-group prosocial behaviors. Participants were 467 young adults (mean age = 22.58, range = 19–27 years old) from ac...

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Main Authors: Gustavo Carlo, Alexandra N. Davis, Marixza Torres, Heidi Sanders, Lynda J. Cruz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-04-01
Series:Discover Psychology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-025-00347-2
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author Gustavo Carlo
Alexandra N. Davis
Marixza Torres
Heidi Sanders
Lynda J. Cruz
author_facet Gustavo Carlo
Alexandra N. Davis
Marixza Torres
Heidi Sanders
Lynda J. Cruz
author_sort Gustavo Carlo
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The goal of the current study was to examine intervening culture and family related mechanisms in the links between pandemic-related economic stress and young adults’ ethnic out-group prosocial behaviors. Participants were 467 young adults (mean age = 22.58, range = 19–27 years old) from across the U.S. (50.1% female; 55.7% identified White as their racial group, 20.3% Black/African American, 12.2% Asian American, 8.0% identified as other, including Latino/a participants who did not identify as White). Participants completed online measures of their experiences with economic stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, their ethnic identity, identification with filial piety as a culture value, and their own tendencies to engage in six forms of out-group prosocial behaviors. The results demonstrated indirect links between economic stress and multiple forms of out-group prosocial behaviors via ethnic identity and filial piety as well as direct links between economic stress and ethnic identity and out-group prosocial behaviors. Interestingly, there were ethnic group differences that emerged in the direct paths such that economic stress was a particularly strong predictor of prosocial behaviors for ethnic majority participants, and ethnic identity was stronger for ethnic minority participants. Discussion will explore ethnic differences in these associations as well as the role of cultural and family values as important mechanisms in the links between pandemic-related economic stress and out-group prosocial behaviors.
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spelling doaj-art-2b1d8b6dbf75419faf93ab4b85743d742025-08-20T01:54:30ZengSpringerDiscover Psychology2731-45372025-04-015111110.1007/s44202-025-00347-2Economic stress indirectly predicts out-group prosocial behaviors during the Covid-19 pandemic differentially for young adults depending on ethnic group membershipGustavo Carlo0Alexandra N. Davis1Marixza Torres2Heidi Sanders3Lynda J. Cruz4Cultural Resiliency and Learning Center; School of Education, University of California IrvineUniversity of New MexicoCultural Resiliency and Learning Center; School of Education, University of California IrvineUniversity of New MexicoUniversity of New MexicoAbstract The goal of the current study was to examine intervening culture and family related mechanisms in the links between pandemic-related economic stress and young adults’ ethnic out-group prosocial behaviors. Participants were 467 young adults (mean age = 22.58, range = 19–27 years old) from across the U.S. (50.1% female; 55.7% identified White as their racial group, 20.3% Black/African American, 12.2% Asian American, 8.0% identified as other, including Latino/a participants who did not identify as White). Participants completed online measures of their experiences with economic stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, their ethnic identity, identification with filial piety as a culture value, and their own tendencies to engage in six forms of out-group prosocial behaviors. The results demonstrated indirect links between economic stress and multiple forms of out-group prosocial behaviors via ethnic identity and filial piety as well as direct links between economic stress and ethnic identity and out-group prosocial behaviors. Interestingly, there were ethnic group differences that emerged in the direct paths such that economic stress was a particularly strong predictor of prosocial behaviors for ethnic majority participants, and ethnic identity was stronger for ethnic minority participants. Discussion will explore ethnic differences in these associations as well as the role of cultural and family values as important mechanisms in the links between pandemic-related economic stress and out-group prosocial behaviors.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-025-00347-2Economic stressEthnic identityFilial pietyOut-group prosocial behaviors
spellingShingle Gustavo Carlo
Alexandra N. Davis
Marixza Torres
Heidi Sanders
Lynda J. Cruz
Economic stress indirectly predicts out-group prosocial behaviors during the Covid-19 pandemic differentially for young adults depending on ethnic group membership
Discover Psychology
Economic stress
Ethnic identity
Filial piety
Out-group prosocial behaviors
title Economic stress indirectly predicts out-group prosocial behaviors during the Covid-19 pandemic differentially for young adults depending on ethnic group membership
title_full Economic stress indirectly predicts out-group prosocial behaviors during the Covid-19 pandemic differentially for young adults depending on ethnic group membership
title_fullStr Economic stress indirectly predicts out-group prosocial behaviors during the Covid-19 pandemic differentially for young adults depending on ethnic group membership
title_full_unstemmed Economic stress indirectly predicts out-group prosocial behaviors during the Covid-19 pandemic differentially for young adults depending on ethnic group membership
title_short Economic stress indirectly predicts out-group prosocial behaviors during the Covid-19 pandemic differentially for young adults depending on ethnic group membership
title_sort economic stress indirectly predicts out group prosocial behaviors during the covid 19 pandemic differentially for young adults depending on ethnic group membership
topic Economic stress
Ethnic identity
Filial piety
Out-group prosocial behaviors
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-025-00347-2
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