Imagined eye cue increased altruistic behavior toward charity instead of stranger
Previous research has not established a significant link between imagined eye cue and altruistic behavior, nor has it verified whether a sense of being seen played a role in it. This study employed a between-subjects design with a single factor (Cue Type: Imagined Eye Cue/Imagined Flower Cue/No Cue)...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1503766/full |
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| author | Jieyu Lv Yuanya Zhang Yuxin Shen Xuedong Weng Liang Xu |
| author_facet | Jieyu Lv Yuanya Zhang Yuxin Shen Xuedong Weng Liang Xu |
| author_sort | Jieyu Lv |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Previous research has not established a significant link between imagined eye cue and altruistic behavior, nor has it verified whether a sense of being seen played a role in it. This study employed a between-subjects design with a single factor (Cue Type: Imagined Eye Cue/Imagined Flower Cue/No Cue) to explore the impact of imagined eye cue on individuals' altruistic behavior in two different dictator games, and also assessed the mediating role of a sense of being seen. It revealed that participants who was presented with imagined eye cue acted more altruistically than those who was presented with imagined flower cue or no cue when the recipient of the dictator game was a charity. Although imagined eye cue strengthened participants' a sense of being seen, this sense did not mediate the relationship between cue type and altruistic behavior. The findings suggest that the imagined eye cue may encourage individuals to donate generously by stimulating their internal social norms. This provides a theoretical rationale for the normative mechanisms underlying the watching eyes effect and explores a more cost-effective and accessible approach for interventions aimed at promoting charitable behavior. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d7e6c92a4ecc4d25a38ee5df993b39f6 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-d7e6c92a4ecc4d25a38ee5df993b39f62025-08-20T02:47:45ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-03-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15037661503766Imagined eye cue increased altruistic behavior toward charity instead of strangerJieyu Lv0Yuanya Zhang1Yuxin Shen2Xuedong Weng3Liang Xu4Department of Psychology, School of Sociology and Psychology, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Psychology, School of Sociology and Psychology, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Psychology, School of Sociology and Psychology, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Psychology, School of Sociology and Psychology, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, ChinaMental Health Education Center, Lishui Vocational and Technical College, Lishui, Zhejiang, ChinaPrevious research has not established a significant link between imagined eye cue and altruistic behavior, nor has it verified whether a sense of being seen played a role in it. This study employed a between-subjects design with a single factor (Cue Type: Imagined Eye Cue/Imagined Flower Cue/No Cue) to explore the impact of imagined eye cue on individuals' altruistic behavior in two different dictator games, and also assessed the mediating role of a sense of being seen. It revealed that participants who was presented with imagined eye cue acted more altruistically than those who was presented with imagined flower cue or no cue when the recipient of the dictator game was a charity. Although imagined eye cue strengthened participants' a sense of being seen, this sense did not mediate the relationship between cue type and altruistic behavior. The findings suggest that the imagined eye cue may encourage individuals to donate generously by stimulating their internal social norms. This provides a theoretical rationale for the normative mechanisms underlying the watching eyes effect and explores a more cost-effective and accessible approach for interventions aimed at promoting charitable behavior.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1503766/fullwatching eyes effectimagined eye cuealtruistic behaviora sense of being seendictator game |
| spellingShingle | Jieyu Lv Yuanya Zhang Yuxin Shen Xuedong Weng Liang Xu Imagined eye cue increased altruistic behavior toward charity instead of stranger Frontiers in Psychology watching eyes effect imagined eye cue altruistic behavior a sense of being seen dictator game |
| title | Imagined eye cue increased altruistic behavior toward charity instead of stranger |
| title_full | Imagined eye cue increased altruistic behavior toward charity instead of stranger |
| title_fullStr | Imagined eye cue increased altruistic behavior toward charity instead of stranger |
| title_full_unstemmed | Imagined eye cue increased altruistic behavior toward charity instead of stranger |
| title_short | Imagined eye cue increased altruistic behavior toward charity instead of stranger |
| title_sort | imagined eye cue increased altruistic behavior toward charity instead of stranger |
| topic | watching eyes effect imagined eye cue altruistic behavior a sense of being seen dictator game |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1503766/full |
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