Charity begins with prosocial music: Musical differences in intertemporal prosocial discounting and generosity

Abstract

It has been demonstrated that exposure to music with prosocial lyrics can increase the accessibility of prosocial thoughts, leading to greater empathy and fostering helping behaviors. However, existing studies have largely neglected the intertemporal nature of altruism, limiting their scope of interpretation. The present research investigates the effects of attentively listening to music with prosocial lyrics (Study 1) and playing prosocial background music (Study 2) on intertemporal charitable donations. Both studies indicated that relative to neutral music, listening to songs with prosocial lyrics enhanced intertemporal donation behavior. Interpersonal empathy served a mediating role in this effect. These findings align with the General Learning Model, highlighting the significance of the empathy pathway in elucidating how media exposure impacts intertemporal altruism.