Open AccessEngaging in prosocial behavior explains how high self-control relates to more life satisfaction: Evidence from three Chinese samples
Author(s) -
Kai Dou,
Jianbin Li,
Yujie Wang,
Jingjing Li,
Ziqin Liang,
Yangang Nie
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0223169
Subject(s) - prosocial behavior , life satisfaction , psychology , mediation , self control , association (psychology) , control (management) , developmental psychology , social psychology , management , political science , law , economics , psychotherapist
High levels of self-control are found to be associated with greater life satisfaction. To further understand this relationship, the current study examined two questions: (1) whether too much self-control reduces, rather than increases, life satisfaction, as argued by some scholars; and (2) whether engaging in prosocial behavior explains the “self-control–life satisfaction” link. To this end, we conducted survey research among adolescents ( N = 1,009), university students ( N = 2,620), and adult workers ( N = 500). All participants answered the same self-control and life satisfaction measures, whereas prosocial behavior was assessed using different scales across samples. Results of two-line regressions failed to reveal significant inverted-U shaped association between self-control and life satisfaction across samples. Moreover, results of mediation analyses showed that across samples, high levels of self-control were related to greater life satisfaction and this association was partly mediated by prosocial behavior. In conclusion, there is no evidence showing that too much self-control impairs life satisfaction. Engaging in prosocial behavior partly explains how high self-control relates to greater well-being.