{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,19]],"date-time":"2026-10-19T16:36:57Z","timestamp":1792427817237,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]],"date-time":"2026-07-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785283200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The \u201cPost-00s\u201d generation in China, shaped by rapid social transition, increasingly prioritizes individualistic goals, which often reduces their motivation toward prosocial behavior. This individualistic tendency, however, conflicts with the collectivist cultural expectations in China that strongly endorse prosocial engagement.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Therefore, the current study investigated whether more prosocial behavior was associated with subjective well-being (SWB) among a sample of Chinese university students born after 2000 (\n                      <jats:italic>N<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u202f=\u202f1,084), specifically examining the parallel mediating roles of the search for meaning and the presence of meaning, as well as the moderating influence of prosocial motivation.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Results from a moderated parallel mediation model revealed that prosocial behavior was positively associated with SWB through both dimensions of meaning in life. Crucially, the strength of prosocial motivation significantly moderated this indirect pathway. Under high prosocial motivation, the positive associations between prosocial behavior, meaning in life, and SWB were robustly stronger. Conversely, when prosocial motivation was low, the indirect pathway via the search for meaning became non-significant, and the overall positive association with SWB was substantially weakened.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study highlights the importance of integrating motivational strength into prosociality research and offers culturally relevant insights into well-being processes among contemporary Chinese youth.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1887620","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]],"date-time":"2026-07-29T04:48:10Z","timestamp":1785300490000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["The association between prosocial behavior and subjective well-being among Chinese post-00s youth: the roles of meaning in life and prosocial motivation"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Yunlong","family":"Yao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Social Development, Hunan Women\u2019s University","place":["Changsha, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hanxiao","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Psychology, Yunnan Normal University","place":["Kunming, Yunnan, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jinghao","family":"Feng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sociology & Psychology, School of Public Administration, Sichuan University","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","volume-title":"Multiple Regression: Testing and Interpreting Interactions","author":"Aiken","year":"1991"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"635","DOI":"10.1037\/a0031578","article-title":"Prosocial spending and well-being: cross-cultural evidence for a psychological universal","volume":"104","author":"Aknin","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Pers. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"995","DOI":"10.1111\/padm.12651","article-title":"Talking the talk, but not walking the walk: a comparison of self-reported and observed prosocial behaviour","volume":"98","author":"Awan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Public Adm."},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"305","DOI":"10.1080\/00223891.2017.1411918","article-title":"Measuring prosociality: the development of a prosocial behavioral intentions scale","volume":"101","author":"Baumsteiger","year":"2019","journal-title":"Jour. Pers. Assess."},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.5502\/ijw.v13i3.2842","article-title":"Is the warm glow actually warm? An experimental investigation into the nature and determinants of warm glow feelings","volume":"13","author":"Bianchi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. Jour. Wellbeing."},{"key":"ref6","volume-title":"The Quality of American Life: Perceptions, Evaluations, and Satisfactions","author":"Campbell","year":"1976"},{"key":"ref7","volume-title":"J. Youth Adolesc","author":"Carlo","year":"2002"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"595","DOI":"10.1111\/sjop.12918","article-title":"Better to give? A systematic review of prosocial spending and happiness","volume":"64","author":"Chen","year":"2023","journal-title":"Scand. Jour. Psychol."},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1186\/s12992-021-00689-w","article-title":"Can psychological flexibility and prosociality mitigate illness perceptions toward COVID-19 on mental health? A cross-sectional study among Hong Kong adults","volume":"17","author":"Chong","year":"2021","journal-title":"Glob. Health"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"320","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jesp.2018.02.014","article-title":"Happy to help? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of performing acts of kindness on the well-being of the actor","volume":"76","author":"Curry","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Exp. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"253","DOI":"10.1038\/s41562-018-0307-6","article-title":"Advances in subjective well-being research","volume":"2","author":"Diener","year":"2018","journal-title":"Nat. Hum. Behav."},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e70085","DOI":"10.1002\/ijop.70085","article-title":"The influence of cultivating contemporary Chinese core values on prosocial behaviours of undergraduate students","volume":"60","author":"Dong","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int. J. Psychol."},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1687","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1150952","article-title":"Spending money on others promotes happiness","volume":"319","author":"Dunn","year":"2008","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.1007\/s12671-024-02488-2","article-title":"A comparison of the effects of ethics- versus wisdom-based mindfulness practices on prosocial behaviour","volume":"16","author":"Furnell","year":"2025","journal-title":"Mindfulness"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"486","DOI":"10.5812\/ijem.3505","article-title":"Normality tests for statistical analysis: a guide for non-statisticians","volume":"10","author":"Ghasemi","year":"2012","journal-title":"Int. Jour. Endocrinol. Metab."},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"393","DOI":"10.5465\/amr.2007.24351328","article-title":"Relational job design and the motivation to make a prosocial difference","volume":"32","author":"Grant","year":"2007","journal-title":"Acad. Manag. Rev."},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.1037\/0021-9010.93.1.48","article-title":"Does intrinsic motivation fuel the prosocial fire? Motivational synergy in predicting persistence, performance, and productivity","volume":"93","author":"Grant","year":"2008","journal-title":"Jour. Appl. Psychol."},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"927","DOI":"10.1037\/a0014391","article-title":"Mission possible? The performance of prosocially motivated employees depends on manager trustworthiness","volume":"94","author":"Grant","year":"2009","journal-title":"Jour. Appl. Psychol."},{"key":"ref19","volume-title":"Multivariate Data Analysis","author":"Hair","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref20","volume-title":"Introduction to Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis: A Regression-based Approach","author":"Hayes","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1084","DOI":"10.1037\/bul0000298","article-title":"Rewards of kindness? A meta-analysis of the link between prosociality and well-being","volume":"146","author":"Hui","year":"2020","journal-title":"Psychol. Bull."},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"130","DOI":"10.1016\/j.copsyc.2021.09.008","article-title":"Psychological barriers to effective altruism: an evolutionary perspective","volume":"44","author":"Jaeger","year":"2022","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Psychol."},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"892","DOI":"10.1111\/jasp.12975","article-title":"When do I feel good when I am nice? A diary study about the relationship between prosocial behavior and well-being","volume":"53","author":"Kesenheimer","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Appl. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"160","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ssresearch.2017.05.002","article-title":"Long-term consequences of youth volunteering: voluntary versus involuntary service","volume":"67","author":"Kim","year":"2017","journal-title":"Soc. Sci. Res."},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1303","DOI":"10.1177\/09567976241269824","article-title":"The well-being costs of informal caregiving","volume":"35","author":"Kr\u00e4mer","year":"2024","journal-title":"Psychol. Sci."},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.6007\/IJARPED\/v12-i4\/19225","article-title":"Do prosocial behaviors always increase well-being? A meta-analysis on the impact of prosocial behavior on well-being","volume":"12","author":"Li","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. Jour. Acad. Res. Prog. Educ. Dev."},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1215","DOI":"10.16128\/j.cnki.1005-3611.2018.06.038","article-title":"The effect of neighborhood relations on college students\u2019 altruistic behavior: the chain mediating effect of empathy and prosocial motivation","volume":"26","author":"Li","year":"2018","journal-title":"Chin. Jour. Clin. Psychol."},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"869744","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2022.869744","article-title":"Compulsory citizenship behavior and its outcomes: two mediation models: corrigendum","volume":"13","author":"Liang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1020","DOI":"10.1037\/apl0000392","article-title":"Doing good, feeling good? The roles of helping motivation and citizenship pressure","volume":"104","author":"Lin","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Appl. Psychol."},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"894","DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-025-03082-4","article-title":"From perceived social support to prosocial behavior: the serial mediating role of sense of gain and gratitude","volume":"13","author":"Lin","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Psychol."},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"478","DOI":"10.3969\/j.issn.1000-6729.2010.06.021","article-title":"Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the meaning in life questionnaire in college students","volume":"24","author":"Liu","year":"2010","journal-title":"Chin. Ment. Health Jour."},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"531","DOI":"10.1080\/17439760.2015.1137623","article-title":"The three meanings of meaning in life: distinguishing coherence, purpose, and significance","volume":"11","author":"Martela","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Posit. Psychol."},{"key":"ref33","volume-title":"The Influence of Perceived Employee Development Practices on Helping Behavior in Organizations: The role of Organizational Commitment and Prosocial Motivation","author":"Min","year":"2015"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"293","DOI":"10.1016\/0191-8869(81)90084-2","article-title":"The altruistic personality and the self-report altruism scale","volume":"2","author":"Rushton","year":"1981","journal-title":"Pers. Individ. Dif."},{"key":"ref320","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1521\/978.14625\/28806","article-title":"Self-determination theory: basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness","author":"Ryan","year":"2017"},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-0167.53.1.80","article-title":"The meaning in life questionnaire: assessing the presence of and search for meaning in life","volume":"53","author":"Steger","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Couns. Psychol."},{"key":"ref36","volume-title":"A Study on the Relationship between College Students' Meaning of life Cognition and Altruistic Behavior","author":"Su","year":"2014"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"359","DOI":"10.1080\/02673843.2011.9748010","article-title":"Educational stress among Chinese adolescents: individual, family, and school-related factors","volume":"16","author":"Sun","year":"2011","journal-title":"Int. J. Adolesc. Youth"},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"477","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2016.00477","article-title":"The Chinese experience of rapid modernization: sociocultural changes, psychological consequences?","volume":"7","author":"Sun","year":"2016","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1080\/17439760.2015.1048814","article-title":"Prosociality enhances meaning in life","volume":"11","author":"Van Tongeren","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Posit. Psychol."},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"995","DOI":"10.1177\/0013164497057006009","article-title":"Development and validation of a work domain goal orientation instrument","volume":"57","author":"VandeWalle","year":"1997","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Meas."},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17310","DOI":"10.1007\/s12144-024-05626-6","article-title":"The serial mediation model of sense of community and subjective well-being among Chinese older adults: the role of prosocial behavior and meaning in life","volume":"43","author":"Wang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Curr. Psychol."},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"431","DOI":"10.3969\/j.issn.1003-5184.2021.05.013","article-title":"The mediating role of marital attitudes between self-worth and subjective well-being among postgraduates","volume":"41","author":"Wang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Psychol. Explor."},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"585","DOI":"10.16128\/j.cnki.1005-3611.2015.04.004","article-title":"Application of the Marlowe-Crowne social desirability scale (short version) in middle school students","volume":"23","author":"Wei","year":"2015","journal-title":"Chin. Jour. Clin. Psychol."},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"222","DOI":"10.1037\/a0016984","article-title":"When helping helps: autonomous motivation for prosocial behavior and its influence on well-being for the helper and recipient","volume":"98","author":"Weinstein","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Pers. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"ref45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"489","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1468-4446.2010.01323.x","article-title":"The Chinese path to individualization","volume":"61","author":"Yan","year":"2010","journal-title":"Br. J. Sociol."},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"167","DOI":"10.1332\/204080520X15858022067160","article-title":"Party membership and charitable giving in China: the mediating role of resources, networks, prosocial values and making compulsory donations","volume":"12","author":"Yang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Volunt. Sect. Rev."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1887620\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]],"date-time":"2026-07-29T04:48:52Z","timestamp":1785300532000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1887620\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]]},"references-count":47,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1887620"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1887620","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]]},"article-number":"1887620"}}