Relationship between loneliness, beliefs in reincarnation, and prosocial behavior

Abstract

This study originally aimed to examine the mediating effect of beliefs in reincarnation on the association between loneliness and prosocial behavior. Participants were recruited through an internet survey, and 461 individuals (236 men, 225 women; Mage = 41.62 years, SD = 10.70) were included in the analysis. However, due to the data distribution in the money allocation task administered to measure prosocial behavior, the pre-registered hypothesis testing was abandoned, and a multiple logistic/linear regression analysis was conducted instead. Although the results showed no significant association between loneliness and reincarnation beliefs (β = -.077, p = .111, 95% CI [-0.232, 0.024]), a positive association was found between reincarnation beliefs and the amount distributed to others for gifts (OR = 1.25, p = .036, 95% CI [1.02, 1.55]) and donations (OR = 1.50, p = .001, 95% CI [1.17, 1.92]). These findings suggest that reincarnation beliefs may have a “supernatural monitoring function” that promotes prosocial behavior.