DISCUSSION
The current study has shown that benevolence values predict the frequency of engaging in other-focused behaviors – the higher the priority of benevolence values in one's hierarchy of personal values, the higher the frequency of one's other-focused behaviors. However, implicit theories of values moderate that effect. Specifically, high rates of implicit belief in the malleability of values weakens the role of benevolence values as guiding principles in people's life. That is, weaken the correlation between benevolence values and other-focused behavior. Furthermore, in very high rates, the correlation disappears altogether. Additionally, as hypothesized, implicit theories of values by themselves do not predict other-focused behaviors. …show more content…
First, it should be noted that although the values literature implicitly points toward a causal impact of values on behavior, by discussing values in terms of guiding principles, the present research is completely correlational and based on self-report. Hence, there are no causal claims. Previous research showed that it is possible to manipulate both benevolence values (Maio et al, 2009; Arieli, Grant, & Sagiv, 2014) and implicit theories (Dweck, 1999). Therefore, future research can benefit from experimentally manipulate one or both of them, in order to establish causality. A second important limitation has to do with the fact that other-focused behavior ratings relied on participants' memory, which might be biased or inferred from personality characteristics, including values. Future research employing an objective measure for other-focused behavior, such as observing actual helping behavior in the lab or in the field, may strengthen the results presented …show more content…
More specifically, it helps explain why even though benevolence values have been found to be highly important to most of the people in the world (Schwartz & Bardi, 2001), the correlation between benevolence values and corresponding behaviors are relatively weak (Bardi & Schwartz, 2003). The results of this study indicate that benevolence values are not sufficient to guarantee prosocial behavior. The implicit theory of values that an individual holds predicts the strength of the relation between the individual benevolence values and his or her frequency of performing other-focused
The current study has shown that benevolence values predict the frequency of engaging in other-focused behaviors – the higher the priority of benevolence values in one's hierarchy of personal values, the higher the frequency of one's other-focused behaviors. However, implicit theories of values moderate that effect. Specifically, high rates of implicit belief in the malleability of values weakens the role of benevolence values as guiding principles in people's life. That is, weaken the correlation between benevolence values and other-focused behavior. Furthermore, in very high rates, the correlation disappears altogether. Additionally, as hypothesized, implicit theories of values by themselves do not predict other-focused behaviors. …show more content…
First, it should be noted that although the values literature implicitly points toward a causal impact of values on behavior, by discussing values in terms of guiding principles, the present research is completely correlational and based on self-report. Hence, there are no causal claims. Previous research showed that it is possible to manipulate both benevolence values (Maio et al, 2009; Arieli, Grant, & Sagiv, 2014) and implicit theories (Dweck, 1999). Therefore, future research can benefit from experimentally manipulate one or both of them, in order to establish causality. A second important limitation has to do with the fact that other-focused behavior ratings relied on participants' memory, which might be biased or inferred from personality characteristics, including values. Future research employing an objective measure for other-focused behavior, such as observing actual helping behavior in the lab or in the field, may strengthen the results presented …show more content…
More specifically, it helps explain why even though benevolence values have been found to be highly important to most of the people in the world (Schwartz & Bardi, 2001), the correlation between benevolence values and corresponding behaviors are relatively weak (Bardi & Schwartz, 2003). The results of this study indicate that benevolence values are not sufficient to guarantee prosocial behavior. The implicit theory of values that an individual holds predicts the strength of the relation between the individual benevolence values and his or her frequency of performing other-focused